The Journey
by Zivancis
Summary: Sequel to Strange Happenings. A Tony/Ziva life story with a little bit of drama and romance along the way. Updated - Tony, Ziva and Esther are a family at last. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - This is the sequel to Strange Happenings. I really enjoyed writing that story and thought I would continue. I had a lovely response last time, and am really hoping that people will enjoy this. It will mainly feature Tony and Ziva, but everybody will have a part somewhere.**

**Chapter One - A New Start**

Tony rolled over in the bed and opened his eyes. He smiled as they rested on the sight of a certain olive skinned woman, who was lying next to him, snoring. It had been six months since Ziva had been shot and severely injured by her father, but she was now fully recovered, and the couple were enjoying their relationship. They had been living together ever since Ziva had been released from the hospital, and two weeks previously they had made things official and had got married. The whole NCIS team had been their to witness the marriage, and Gibbs had given Ziva away. It had been the perfect day. Ziva had found it a little difficult that none of her family were there to see the happiest moment of her life, and it had brought reality to her that NCIS was now her proper home, and they were extremely important to her.

Tony laughed as Ziva let out a particularly large snore, and then opened her eyes.

"Why are you staring at me Tony? It is unnerding" Ziva said, rubbing her eyes.

"I think the word you are looking for is unnerving, and it is because you are so beautiful"

"What are you after Tony?"

"Can a man not compliment his wife?"

"Of course, just as long as you are not wanting anything in return. It is time for my run" Ziva got out of the bed and started to pull her running gear on.  
>Tony sat up in bed and watched his wife get changed. He could not believe how lucky he was. Ziva was everything he had ever wanted from a woman. She was beautiful, intelligent and he trusted her implicitely.<p>

"Be careful sweetcheeks, I'll have breakfast waiting for you"

"Thank-you Tony"

It was Tony and Ziva's last day at work before their honeymoon. They could only have a week off together, and had booked a week in a log cabin in Canada. Tony was very much looking forward to having some time alone with Ziva. Of course they lived together, but their jobs were very demanding and it didn't leave a lot of time for social activity. They arrived at the bullpen in record time, thanks to Ziva's driving, and had only been at their desks a few minutes before Gibbs entered.

"Grab your gear, we have a large murder investigation. David, DiNozzo, you're gonna have to cancel your holiday" Gibbs shouted.

"Boss! It's not a holiday, it's our honeymoon!" Tony stood up in protest.

"Gotcha DiNozzo. Finish your paperwork then you can go"

"Thanks Boss!" Tony replied, relieved.

"Yes, thank-you Gibbs. It is very much appreciated" Ziva added.

It was only a few hours before Tony and Ziva were able to leave. Ziva had of course finished her work before Tony, but had spent some time down in the lab with Abby before they had to go. Abby was so excited to see Tony and Ziva happy. It had taken her a lot of time to accept Ziva when she had arrived at NCIS, but Abby couldn't help but like the Israeli ninja chick.

"Are you excited Ziva? A whole week to ourselves, no interruptions, no work. Bliss" Tony said to Ziva as they sat in bed that evening.

"I am very excited Tony. Although I think I may be coming down with a cold" Ziva sniffed.

"Don't worry Ziva, cold germs wouldn't dare to mess with you. You'll be fine in the morning"

"Let us hope you are right my hairy little butt. Now we should get some sleep as we have an early start in the morning"

"I'm still driving to the airport right?" Tony asked.

"Seeing as you are so worried about making it there in one piece, yes you can drive Tony"

Tony kissed Ziva on the forehead and snuggled down in the bed with her. Ziva closed her eyes and started to breathe heavily. A long exciting and romantic road lay beyond them, and both were excited to travel down it.


	2. Silence

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks so much for the reviews and alerts, I love reading them so keep them coming please!**

**Chapter Two - Silence**

Tony had trouble sleeping that night. On the one hand, he was very excited about going away with Ziva. It would be so nice to have some time off together, with no work stress to worry about. Secondly, Ziva's snoring was the worst he had ever heard. She was definately coming down with a cold. With anyone else, Tony would be worried about it ruining their honeymoon, but this was Ziva. She didn't do being sick.

"Would you stop thinking so loud Tony, I am having trouble sleeping" Ziva mumbled. Tony had been thinking for so long he had failed to notice that the snoring had stopped.

"Sorry Sweetcheeks, if you could just stop the awful noise coming from your nose then I might be able to get some sleep too"

"It is not that bad Tony. If you do not like it, you know where you can sleep" Ziva rolled over and started to snore again.

Tony sighed and pulled back the covers. He looked at the clock and sighed again. They had two hours before the alarm went off. Reluctantly, Tony settled back down in the bed and closed his eyes. As much as he wanted some sleep, he would rather not spend the rest of the night on the couch. Snoring was part of Ziva, and he loved her.

"Tony! TONY! If you do not get your hairy butt out of bed right now, I will be going on honeymoon with McGee!" Ziva shouted. Part of her felt bad as she knew she was the reason that Tony had not got much sleep, but they had to leave for the airport in less than half an hour and she had spent the last twenty minutes trying to wake her husband up.

Tony rolled over and groaned. He opened his eyes and saw Ziva standing next to the bed with a frustrated expression on her face.

"Just five more minutes" Tony replied. Ziva swore in hebrew and ripped the duvet off the bed.

"This is a warning Tony. If you do not get up now, I will be driving to the airport" Ziva smirked. Tony leapt out of bed.

"I'm up, I'm up! No need to get nasty. How are you feeling this morning?"

"I have a bit of a headache, but nothing serious. I just cannot wait to get on that plane!"

"Me too sweetcheeks, me too" Tony kissed Ziva, and then ran to the bathroom to jump in the shower.

Tony managed to get ready in record time, securing his place in the driving seat, much to Ziva's annoyance.

"I do not see what the problem with my driving is. I have only had a couple of accidents, and they were not serious"

"There is the problem Ziva. I have had none" Tony said proudly.

The rest of the morning went by quickly, and soon they were on the plane. Tony was attempting to watch a film, but the sound was being constantly drowned out by Ziva's snoring.

"Hey, Ziva, would you be quiet. Everybody is looking" Tony nudged Ziva, who promptly stopped snoring. Tony felt quite pleased with himself, until the noise began again a few moments later. Tony felt bad for waking her, she looked exhausted, but he was getting angry stares from around the plane. He shook Ziva on the shoulder roughly and she opened her eyes.

"What do you want?" She asked, groggily.

"I'm sorry, but you were keeping the whole plane awake. People were starting to complain. Are you ok? You don't look too hot"

"Such a nice thing to say DiNozzo. I do however feel a little unwell"

"Then go back to sleep sweetcheeks. You need to conserve energy for our holiday"

"Oh really?" Ziva replied, raising her eyebrows.

"Do you always have to lower the tone?"

"I do not believe I was lowering anything?" Ziva replied, looking perplexed.

"Just a saying sweetcheeks. Please, go back to sleep, if anyone says anything, I'll tell them you're a ninja"

"Whatever Tony. Wake me in an hour please"

Tony smiled as Ziva snuggled into Tony. He wanted this holiday to be perfect, and as long as both him and Ziva were together, he knew it would be.

A little while later, Ziva found herself being poked by Tony. She realised that the plane was no longer moving. She sat up in a daze and saw Tony grinning at her.

"Welcome to Canada Ziva!"

"Why did you not wake me Tony?" Ziva said, a little angry, although she felt better for the sleep.

"I'm sorry, you just looked so comfortable. Besides, I may have had a nap too!"

They grabbed their bags and made their way off the plane. Ziva began to feel the excitement mount as she stepped on the snowy ground outside. She inhaled the cold air and smiled.

"It is beautiful Tony"

"You wait until we are snuggled up in that log cabin Ziva. Let's go and get our cases and find the hire car"

"I presume that you are also driving that Tony?"

"Oh yes. You and snow are a lethal combination Ziva, and I mean that in the nicest possible way darling"

Ziva simply laughed at Tony and put her hand in his as they walked together.

An hour later and they were on their way.

"Are you sure you know where you are going Tony. Navigating is not your strongest point remember"

"Never fear Ziva, I have this all planned out!"

They drove along, the conversation flowing, and they both laughed at the thought of McGee stuck at work facing Gibbs's wrath on his own. Ziva was enjoying looking at the scenery of the mountains. She looked back towards the road, and squinted as she saw something in their lane ahead. As they apprached it, Ziva realised it was a moose.

"Tony! Watch out!" Ziva shouted, as she saw the moose walk slowly towards the safety of the trees. Tony slowed down and navigated around the moose.

"See Ziva, this is why I drive!" Tony laughed, as he pulled back over to their side of the road. Suddenly the car hit a patch of black ice. Tony tried to swerve to correct the skid, but watched in horror as the car spun round. All you could hear was the sound of screeching tyres and broken glass. And then there was silence.

**How was it? Have to have a bit of drama in there!**


	3. Perfect

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks so much for all the alerts and the reviews, they all mean a lot to me. Keep 'em coming!**

**Chapter Three - Perfect**

Tony groaned as he watched the car spin out of control and crash into a tree stump on the side of the road. He held his breath until the car had come to a complete halt, then let it out slowly as he realised things could have been a lot worse. He glanced across at Ziva who was leaning against the car window, she was not moving. Tony ripped off his seatbelt and leaned across to shake her on the shoulder.

"Ziva! Wake up!" Tony shouted urgently.

"Have we stopped Tony?" Ziva mumbled quietly.

"Ziva, you had me so worried then. Are you alright?" Tony asked, still a little concerned.

"Well, my headache is worse now, but I am fine considering. And you still think you are the better driver Tony?" Ziva turned around to face Tony, a smirk settling on her face.

"I think we're even sweetcheeks. You sure you're alright, you've got a nasty bruise on your cheek" Tony gestured towards an angry mark that was quickly appearing on Ziva's face.

"I am fine Tony, at least I will be when I am curled up next to a lovely fire. Did you do much damage?" Ziva asked.

Tony got out of the car and had a good look round before joining Ziva, who had closed her eyes.

"Hey, you have to stay awake, you probably have concussion. The car looks ok, a couple of shattered headlights and a dent, but nothing too bad"

"What are we waiting for then?" Ziva asked, getting impatient.

"Woah ninja, calm down. We'll be there before you know it" Tony replied with a grin.

"Just concentrate on avoiding moose or any other animals this time, ok?"

"Sure thing sweetcheeks"

It took Tony a further two hours to drive to the cabin. He knew he could have made it much quicker, but he was not taking any more chances today. He was still concerned about the state of Ziva's health, as against his better judgement he had let her sleep for most of the journey. He had tried to argue with her, but as she pointed out, she had a cold and wasn't feeling her best, and sleep is sometimes the best medicine. Ziva had also pointed out that she had suffered from many concussions in the past and they had never affected her. And lastly, she had blamed everything on Tony, and he could hardly argue with that, so he had conceded. They had already had a pretty bad start to the honeymoon, and Tony wasn't prepared to ruin it any further.

"Hey, ninja, we're here" Tony nudged Ziva.

"Just let me sleep for a little while longer" Ziva moaned, still half asleep.

"Can't do that, if you don't get out of the car by yourself, I will be forced to carry you"

"I'm moving, do not even think about doing that!"

Ziva opened her eyes and almost gasped at the beauty of the place. Their cabin was set amongst a forest of trees, and there was no-one else around for what looked like miles. The cabin was one storey high, and was made entirely of wood. Ziva followed Tony inside and her excitement grew. Growing up in the desert, Ziva had not experienced much snow, and she felt like a child on christmas morning. She actually felt genuinely excited, and this was a new feeling for her. Ziva always looked at things in a matter of fact way, and accepted them for the way things were, but living in America had definately softened her, and she was beginning to feel like a proper American citizen. Tony was enjoying watching Ziva's reactions to everything. Her eyes were lighting up at both the scenery and the cabin itself.

"Do you like it?" Tony asked, already sensing her answer.

"It is perfect, it is beautiful Tony. I love it" Ziva replied, her eyes shining.

"It's just like you then Ziva, and I mean that. Let's unpack and then I'll get the fire going"

An hour later and Tony and Ziva were curled up in front of the fire. Tony had had a little trouble lighting it, and Ziva had stepped in, but now it was letting out a nice warm glow. Ziva laid her head on Tony's shoulder and shivered.

"You ok? You can't be cold?" Tony asked, glancing at the now flushed cheeked Ziva.

"I think I may have a temperature, but this fire is wonderful"

"I'm sorry you are poorly, and I'm sorry I hurt your head"

"Tony, it is not your fault. Ok, it is partly your fault, but no stupid cold is going to stop me from enjoying our honeymoon. It is going to be very special,  
>I can feel it"<p>

"Just rest your eyes sweetcheeks, we don't have to go anywhere or do anything for as long as we want. I just want you to get better"

"I will be fine Tony, please stop worrying. All the bad things have happened at the beginning. This is the start of the good"

"I hope you're right Ziva"

"When am I ever wrong?"

Ziva leaned into Tony and kissed him, at first gently, and then more passionately. If she didn't have such a bad headache, she would have dragged him off the couch and onto the faux fur rug to have some 'fun', but she settled for cuddling closely. It was just right, it was perfect. Nothing would spoil it.

**Did you like it? Let me know what you thought :)**


	4. Family Discussions

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks again for the alerts and reviews, please keep them coming. I am really enjoying writing at the moment, and the reviews really help to encourage me :)**

**Chapter Four - Family Discussions**

Tony and Ziva had stayed huddled on the couch for the entire night. Tony had tried to move Ziva to the bed, but every time he had attempted to lift her, she had mumbled something in hebrew - something which sounded like a warning. So Tony had snuggled next to her, not in the most comfortable of postions, but he wanted to hold her close and make sure she was alright. When he woke up, he was alone on the couch. Worried, he immediately sat up, but was comforted by the sight of Ziva in the kitchen making coffee. He stood up and yawned loudly, causing Ziva to laugh.

"Hey sweetcheeks, have you been awake for long?" Tony asked, as he walked towards his wife, rubbing his eyes.

"Yes, I have been for my morning run already, and have been waiting for at least another hour for you to wake up" Ziva replied.

"Run? In the snow? Are you mad?" Tony exclaimed. After the accident yesterday, and Ziva not feeling herself, he was actually angry with her.

"Calm down, of course a run was out of the question. Shame though, I am feeling back on top form today"

"I'm pleased, boy do you heal quickly. You really must have special ninja powers!"

"Maybe. Perhaps I could use those 'powers' on you in the shower, yes?" Ziva raised her eyebrows at Tony.

"I'm there!" Tony ran to the bathroom, followed by a laughing Ziva.

After their shower, and a light breakfast, Tony and Ziva decided to go for a walk to explore. The Cabin had been fully stocked of food and drink, which was lucky as their appeared to be no buildings nearby. They really were in the middle of nowhere. Ziva pulled on her winter coat, and her orange beanie.  
>The beanie had belonged to a close friend of Ziva's whom she had got very close to during a case. After his death, she had found comfort in his running hat, and often wore it out of respect for him. It also happened to be a very warm hat. Ziva had to laugh at Tony as he walked into the living room. He was wearing a large winter coat, two scarves, gloves and the biggest, furriest hat she had ever seen.<p>

"Are you going to be warm enough Tony, it is very cold outside!" Ziva asked, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"You may laugh Ziva, but you'll be the one crying when you want one of my scarves"

"I am ex-Mossad Tony, I do not feel the cold" Ziva stalked out of the door, and the coldness almost took her breath away. She was too proud to admit it though, and instead chastised Tony for walking too slow. At this, Tony began to chase Ziva through the trees, until eventually she slid to a halt and leant against a tree, breathing heavily.

"What's the matter Ziva, getting tired?" Tony joked, secretly pleased that Ziva had chosen to stop, as his lungs felt like they were burning. Tony didn't have many symptoms left behind after contracting the plague, but running always tired him out.

"Of course not Tony, I could just hear your loud breathing down my neck"

"Heavy breathing Ziva, will you ever learn this language properly?"

"Will you ever be able to speak ten languages Tony? Thought not" Ziva smirked and poked her tongue out at him. This of course did not go down well with Tony, and he tackled her to the floor. Ziva screamed as Tony landed on top of her, and then began to kiss her. Ziva returned the kiss and began to take off Tony's coat.

"Hey ninja, the clothes stay on, it's far too cold" Tony grabbed hold of Ziva's hands and stopped them from undressing him.

"I thought you could warm me up Tony" Ziva said, hinting at him.

"Oh Ziva, if only you weren't so good at persuasion. Are we really going to do this out here?"

"It will be exciting" Ziva replied, and kissed Tony once again.

Half an hour later, the couple were still lying in the snow, both tired from previous activites. Tony sighed, and looked over at Ziva, who had her eyes closed, but looked so peaceful. Every now and then her body would tremble from the cold and Tony knew they should go back inside.

"Hey, Sweetcheeks, I think we should get back to the Cabin. Round two would be much nicer in the bed"

"Round two sounds good, hot chocolate in front of the fire sounds even better!"

"Ooh do we have mini marshmallows?" Tony asked, in the voice of a child.

"I doubt it, but we have cream"

"I was thinking of using that in other ways"

"Tony! Is your mind ever anything other than dirty?" Ziva slapped him on the arm and then stood up.

"Do you want to have children Ziva?"

"Where did that question come from?" Ziva replied, sitting down again.

"I was just lying here, thinking about us, and how much fun we have. And how much more fun we could have with a kid"

"To be honest Tony, I never believed I would be alive long enough to have a family of my own. Tali was like my daughter, she looked up to me, and she always came to me when she needed help. When I lost her, I vowed that I would never put another child through that lifestyle" Ziva said, tears in her eyes.

"But you live in America now Ziva, a lot has changed, and I think you would be a wonderful mother" Tony kissed Ziva on the head. He knew how hard this conversation was for Ziva to have, but it was a necessary one.

"Thank-you Tony. I just do not know if I am ready for children yet, it is not an easy decision for me to make"

"I understand Ziva, let's get back now" Tony couldn't help but admit he felt a bit disappointed by Ziva's answer. He had always wanted children, and Ziva was reacting like she wasn't sure she would ever be ready for them.

Later that night, whilst they were laying in bed, Tony noticed that Ziva seemed troubled.

"Hey, you alright? You're not feeling unwell again are you?"

"No, I am fine. I just cannot stop thinking about what we talked about earlier. You must think that I am a bad person Tony. I married you, and you never knew how I felt about children. It makes me feel so bad"

"Hey, I understand Ziva. The things that you have gone through are unimaginable. One day, when you are ready, we can talk about it a bit more seriously, and maybe you will feel ready. But until that day comes, I will be here waiting Ziva. You are the one I want to be with forever, and that is all that matters"

"You will make a great father Tony"

"That sounds like a promise"

"It is Tony. I have been thinking about it a lot, and the more I think about it, the more I want it. I do want to have a baby with you!" Ziva looked up at Tony with excited eyes. He could tell that this declaration had lifted a weight off her shoulders.

"Please don't make promises Ziva, don't just say it because it's what I want to hear"

"I would not do that to you Tony. I think I have always known what I want, but have been to afraid to admit it until now. I can do this, we can do this"

"Oh, I love you so much Ziva"

"Can we make one right now?"

"A log cabin baby? It sure would be fun to try!"

Both Tony and Ziva went to sleep happy that night, and maybe, just maybe, they would have a special little person to share their wonderful life with soon.


	5. Showtime

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks for the reviews, although I only got 2 for the last chapter. It only takes 20 seconds to write a review, but it takes a whole lot longer to write this story, so please leave some feedback or I'll be sad :(**

**Chapter Five - Showtime.**

The rest of the honeymoon went quickly, and before too long, Tony and Ziva were walking through the door of their apartment.

"Back in DC, oh joy" Tony groaned, as he put the suitcases down and then slumped into the nearest chair.

"Do not be too sad Tony, we get to see everybody tomorrow!" Ziva replied, perching on Tonys' lap.

"Back to work, that's even more depressing" Tony groaned again.

"I am looking forward to it. I had a wonderful time this last week though. Thank-you Tony" Ziva leant down and kissed her husband.

"Me too, and maybe a little log cabin baby will join us in nine months!" Tony replied, getting excited.

"I know we had sex a lot Tony, but I very much doubt that is going to happen"

"I enjoyed Canadian sex, it was fun doing it in the snow. Besides, you're a ninja, surely if anyone is going to get pregnant that quickly, it will be you"

"Just do not get your hopes up Tony. If it happens, then it is fantastic, if not, it is hardly a chore to keep trying, yes?" Ziva reasoned.

"Sure thing ninja. You sure you're ok with everything" Tony was still a little concerned about how Ziva would feel about becoming a mother, especially how she had changed her mind about it so quickly. But he also trusted Ziva, and knew that she would never do anything if she didn't feel it was right.

"I am fine Tony. I think I will find it a little hard, and a little strange, being pregnant, but as long as I have you, I don't need anything else"

"Hey, you used a contraction! We'll do this together Ziva. Every step of the way, I promise"

"I still do not know what you are referring to when you say contraction, but whatever. I love you"

"Love you too Sweetcheeks"

The next day, Tony woke up to find the bed empty. He glanced at the clock which read 06:00, and then smiled to himself. I_ bet she's gone for a run, the_ _crazy ninja_. He decided to snooze for a while longer, but was brought out of his sleep by a hammering on the door. Tony launched himself off the bed, and made his way to the front door.

"Alright already, I'm coming!" Tony shouted, as he unlocked the door. He was not prepared for the sight he opened the door to.

"Ziva! What the hell is going on?"

A man stood in the hallway, carrying Ziva, who looked to be unconscious, over his shoulder. His free arm was carrying a gun, which he pointed at Tony.

"Get inside, now!" The man shouted.

Tony walked back inside the apartment and watched as the man followed him in. The man dumped Ziva on the floor, and Tony was concerned that she didn't move or make a sound.

"Who are you, and what do you want with us?" Tony asked.

"You don't need to know who I am, all you need to do is stay quiet, and no-one will get hurt, or hurt anymore" The man sniggered as he glanced at Ziva.

"What did you do to her?"

"She proved to be a bit fiesty after I asked her nicely to co-operate, so I was forced to drug her. It should wear off in a couple of hours, but she'll have a stinking headache afterwards"

"You bastard!" Tony shouted, moving over towards Ziva.

"You stay where you are, I'll shoot her if you make any more moves towards her!" The man walked over to Ziva and handcuffed himself to her. He threw a pair of handcuffs to Tony and forced him to put them on. Tony couldn't help but stare at the limp form of his wife. A day ago, everything had been perfect, now both their lives were at stake, and Tony had no clue how to fix it. The man sat for a while and then unlocked his handcuff from Ziva, and started to pace around the room. He kept glancing at the clock and Tony wondered what he was waiting for. It felt like forever, but then the clock struck 08:00 and the man pulled out his phone.

"Hello Mr Gibbs. I am in the company of two of your agents. If you do not free my son, you will not see them again. Bring him to me, and I will let them go" The man shouted down the phone, and then hung up, before Gibbs could reply.

**Ballpen**

"McGee! You need to trace this number, I think Roger Ferris has paid a visit to Tony and Ziva" Gibbs barked, as the caller on the end of his phone hung up.

"Doing so right away Boss" McGee started to type furiously on his computer.

"He is at Tony and Ziva's house Boss"

"Crap. Get his son out of custody now, we are going over to their house"

"Uh Boss, Director Vance has given strict instructions not to let Tommy Ferris leave this building"

All it took was one Gibbs glare for McGee to follow out his orders. Gibbs had a plan, it was a risky one, but it was the only thing that would save Tony and Ziva.

**Apartment**

Ziva began to moan softly as she started to wake up. Tony wanted to hold her in his arms, but could not risk it. The man had handcuffed himself to Ziva again, and Tony was not prepared to put her in harms way. Ziva moaned again, but louder this time. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times. SHe tried to sit up but was met with a wave of dizzyness and nausea. She looked down at her wrist and frowned when she saw it was handcuffed to someone. She looked up and saw the face of the man who had attacked her this morning during her run. Ziva began to struggle against the handcuffs and then tried to sit up again.  
>Tony saw the colour drain from her face, and he knew she was going to be sick. Ziva began to heave, and then promptly vomited over the man. She then collapsed back down to the floor, exhausted. The man flared up in anger as he was covered in vomit, and he took the barrel of his gun and struck Ziva around the head with it, causing her to become motionless once again.<p>

"Leave her alone!" Tony shouted in anger.

The man pointed his gun at Tony and warned him to keep quiet or else a bullet would be put in him. His phone then started to ring.

"Hello Gibbs, have you got good news?"

"We are outside the building with your son. Hand over our agents, and then you can see Tommy"

"You will have to do a bit better than that Gibbs. Bring my son to the apartment, and then we can negotiate"

The man snapped his phone shut and then grinned at Tony.

"Showtime" He sneered.

**So, what did you think? Tommy and Roger will be explained in the next chapter, so please review and I will update soon :)**


	6. Forever

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks so much for all the reviews! That's the most reviews I've ever had for a chapter, so please keep them coming :)**

**Chapter Six - Forever.**

Gibbs sighed when he heard the phone line go dead. He glanced at McGee who was guarding the car that Tommy Ferris was in. Team Gibbs had been investigating the murders of two marines whilst Tony and Ziva had been away on honeymoon. Tommy had been training to join the marines, but had failed the course and took his vengeance out on two of his fellow trainees. NCIS had arrested him yesterday for the murders, and obviously his father had been less than impressed. He believed his son was innocent, and therefore wanted to hurt the NCIS team in the hardest way possible.

"McGee, get Tommy Ferris out of the car. We're going upstairs" Gibbs was not sure if he had a plan, but he was hoping that his skills as an interrogator would lead to everybody getting out of the situation alive and unscathed.

"Yes Boss" McGee walked over to the car and pulled out Tommy Ferris who was handcuffed. He attempted to struggle out of McGee's grip but was accosted by Gibbs.

"Now you listen to me son, if you want your dad to get out of this situation, you had better co-operate. Do you understand me?" Gibbs yelled.

"Yes Sir" Tommy replied.

They began the long walk up to Tony's apartment. Inside, Tony was getting increasingly concerned about the lack of movement from Ziva. Ever since Roger had hit her around the head with his gun, she had not moved. Roger had uncuffed himself from Ziva and was now pacing around. There was a knock on the door and Roger trained his gun on it.

"It's open!" He shouted.

Gibbs walked in first, gun in hand, followed by McGee, who was dragging Tommy behind him.

"Alright Tommy, they treating you nice?" Roger asked.

"Yes dad"

Gibbs made his way over to Tony and asked him if he was ok. He nodded, and then gestured towards Ziva. Gibbs's heart dropped as he saw the motionless agent sprawled on the floor. He made his way over to Ziva and made sure she was breathing.

"Now now Gibbs, I'd advise you to walk away from her, otherwise I cannot guarantee that this bullet won't hit Agent DiNozzo in the head" Roger shouted as he pointed his gun at Tony.

"You listen to me. This needs to end now. These agents have nothing to do with your son. They were not even part of this investigation. Your son is a murderer, you need to accept that"

"You're lying, he wouldn't hurt anyone. That's why he didn't make the marines, cos he's too soft!" Roger scoffed.

"He killed those men in cold blood, and now he needs to accept the consequences. This needs to end now"

"I'm telling you the boy is incapable of murder, he hasn't got a brain between those big ears of his" Roger shouted, not realising the impact his words were having on his son.

"Tommy, NO!" McGee shouted, as his gun was torn from his grasp by Tommy, who had picked his way out of his handcuffs. It was too late, he fired two shots at his father, and killed him. Tommy then turned around to face Gibbs.

"I am sorry for what my father did to your agents, and I'm sorry I won't have to face the consequences of my actions" Tommy then pulled the trigger on himself before Gibbs could get to him.

"Damn it!" Gibbs shouted.

"McGee, call Ducky to get over here now"

Gibbs made his way over to Tony and undid his handcuffs. The two agents then made their way over to Ziva.

"Come on Ziver, wake up" Gibbs shook her gently and was pleasantly surprised when she moaned in response. She opened her eyes slowly and groaned as the pain hit her. She tried to sit up but Gibbs's hands prevented her from doing so.

"You need to stay still until Ducky checks you over"

"What happened?" Ziva asked, confused at the scene in the living room.

"We'll catch you up later Ziver, lets get you onto the couch" Gibbs picked her up, and Tony sat next to her stroking her head as she dropped back off to sleep.

A couple of hours later, Ducky had been to the scene and had checked out both Tony and Ziva. Tony was in perfect health, but Ziva was not so lucky. She had started to vomit again, which could have been a result of the drug or the concussion she had sustained. Ducky had wanted her to go to hospital, but Ziva had refused, so a good nights sleep had been ordered. Since their apartment was now a crime scene, they had to go and stay with Gibbs.

Tony settled Ziva in bed, making sure she had taken painkillers and waited until she was asleep before making his way to Gibbs's basement.

"How's she doing DiNozzo" Gibbs asked.

"She's one tough cookie. God, I was so scared today Gibbs, I really thought I'd lost her"

"I'm sorry Tony"

"What are you sorry for Boss?" Tony asked, confused.

"Roger Ferris phoned the office late last night and warned me that 'things' would happen if I didn't release his son. I should have taken his threat more seriously"

"The life of an NCIS agent is a dangerous one Boss. Everybody is ok and that is all that matters. But I will remember to hold this against you in the future" Tony laughed, but was brought back down to reality by a sharp hit to the back of his head.

"Go and be with your wife DiNozzo"

"Yes Boss"

Tony walked softly into the bedroom and undressed. He slipped under the covers and cuddled into Ziva. She snuggled into him and he smiled. Once again their lives had been in danger, but that danger had been averted. Tony was grateful for every minute he had with his NCIS family.

"What are you thinking about Tony?" Ziva whispered.

"Hey, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. How you feeling?"

"A bit better. I'm sorry I worried you today Tony"

"Hey, I'm just relieved you're ok. Just don't do it again, promise"

"I cannot make promises like that, but I promise to be back to my 'crazy ninja self' tomorrow ok?"

"That will have to do my ninja"

"Good-night Tony, I love you"

"I love you too Ziva"

Tony closed his eyes, but it was a while before he got to sleep. He kept seeing images on Ziva unconscious on the floor over and over again. He had to keep checking that she was still lying next to him in the bed, snoring as loudly as ever. Tony smiled and held his wife tightly. He was determined to protect her forever.

**Ok, that is probably the last of the drama for a little while (although I do love a bit of drama so can't make promises!). The next couple of chapters will have some nice Tiva love and fluff. Please leave a little review on your way out :)**


	7. Need To Move

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Sorry it has been so long since I updated, life has been busy. But here is the new chapter, a kind of fill-in one, but I hope you like it. Please read and review - it is most appreciated :)**

**Chapter Seven - Need To Move**

Tony woke up the next morning and was pleased to see Ziva lying next to him, looking peaceful. He rolled over onto his side and just watched her sleep. He jerked back in surprise when Ziva sat up suddenly and held her sig towards his face.

"Woah my ninja, it's only me" Tony said softly, as he watched Ziva sigh and lower her weapon.

"I am sorry Tony, I could feel eyes on me, and after everything that happened yesterday, I think I am a little jumped"

"I think you mean jumpy Sweetcheeks. How are you feeling?"

"Fine. I am hungry though. I wonder if Gibbs has anything other than coffee in his house"

"I know he'll have bourbon too, but how about we go out for breakfast? Gibbs gave us the day off today, so we can do whatever we please"

"Breakfast sounds lovely. You will be joining me in the shower though, yes?"

"Of course I will" Tony grinned and followed his wife into the bathroom.

Tony and Ziva sat in a local diner having breakfast. It was normally Tony who was the greedy one, but this morning Ziva was extra hungry. She was almost dribbling when the waitress delivered her large plate of pancakes.

"Wow Sweetcheeks, you certainly are hungry today!" Tony laughed.

"Yes, well you were not the one who was drugged yesterday, and missed two meals of the day because you couldn't stop being sick!" Ziva shouted.

"Keep your voice down Ziva. I wasn't meaning to be insensitive, I'm sorry"

"Never apologize, it is a sign of weakness Tony" Ziva leant over and kissed him on the cheek. Tony smiled as he knew he was forgiven. He knew they had been lucky yesterday.

After breakfast, Ziva insisted that they went into work to see how the investigation was going. Ziva was keen to move back into their apartment. The elevator dinged to annouce their arrival, and both Gibbs and McGee looked up with confused expressions on their faces.

"DiNozzo's, I thought I told you not to come in today" Gibbs said, with a gruff voice.

"It was Ziva's idea Boss. I was quite happy to watch movies all day, but she can't stay away" Gibbs walked towards them and slapped Tony on the back of the head.

"How are you Ziver?" Gibbs asked, his voice softer this time. Nothing normally scared Gibbs. but the scene in the apartment yesterday had shaken him. He, like Tony, had had trouble getting the image of an unconscious Ziva out of his mind. His job was to protect his team, not to place them in danger, and Gibbs felt he had failed his team yesterday.

"I am fine Gibbs. The drugs have left my system and I have been able to eat this morning. When can we move back home?" Ziva asked. She didn't want to come across as ungrateful to Gibbs for putting them up, but she was desperate to get back to normality.

"Ducky has finished processing the scene. Your place is just getting cleaned up and then you can return. It should be ready by this evening"

"Thanks Boss"

"Now take Ziva and get out of here before I make you write some of those reports that have been sitting on your desk for months!" Gibbs retorted.

"Yes Boss" Tony replied, laughing. He stopped laughing when he got another famous Gibbs slap. Then it was Ziva's turn to laugh.

Later that evening, the DiNozzos were allowed back into the apartment. Ziva had been for a run in the afternoon, and was now sleeping on the sofa. Tony was in the kitchen making his famous italian pasta for dinner. He was humming to himself, when he heard a thump come from the living room. He grabbed his gun and walked slowly towards the room. His heart was thumping with adrenaline, but he kept telling himself that everything was ok. As he entered the living room, Tony lowered his gun and let out a chuckle. Ziva had clearly relaxed too much and had fallen off the couch. Tony stopped laughing when he realised that Ziva was mumbling to herself and he could see little beads of sweat on her forehead. He walked over to her and shook her.

"Ziva! Wake up! Everything is ok, you're home now" Tony shook her a little harder, and then helped to support her as she sat up quickly. Her breathing came out in short, sharp bursts, and Tony could see that whatever she had been dreaming about, it had rattled her. And nothing rattled Ziva.

"Hey, you alright Sweetcheeks?"

"I had a nightmare. I was re-living yesterday, but it did not have such a good outcome. I lost you Tony" Ziva replied quietly.

"Hey, you won't lose me, I'm not going anywhere. Come out to the kitchen, my famous pasta is waiting for you!" Tony helped Ziva stand up and gave her a hug.

"I promise you Ziva, no matter what, I will be here for you forever. I said that in my vows, and I mean it"

"Thank-you Tony"

A few days later and Ziva was still having daily nightmares. Tony was starting to get concerned about her. He tried to talk to her about it, but Ziva refused to admit that anything was wrong. After that latest one, Tony was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Ziva, this can't go on. You're not sleeping, I'm not sleeping. Soon we're not going to be able to function and Gibbs is gonna get wind of it. My head can't take too many more head slaps" Tony tried injecting some humour into the situation.

"I am sorry Tony. I think I know what the problem is, but it is silly"

"Hey, if it's bothering you, then it is not silly. What's the matter?"

"I think it is the apartment. I do not think I will ever be able to sleep here again. I am frightened Tony. I have never really felt like this before, and I do not understand it"

"That's not silly, that's completely understandable Ziva. Something awful happened here to both of us, it's no wonder that you feel like this. Let's give it a couple of weeks, and if you still feel this way, then we'll look for somewhere else to live"

"No, I want to move anyway. Once my mind is set, there is nothing you can do to change it. When our little DiNozzos come along, we are going to need a proper house"

"Ok Ziva, I suppose you are right. We will start looking for a proper house, and then we can start filling it up with cute little DiNozzos!"

"Do you think they will be cute?"

"Most definately. With my italian good looks and hair, why wouldn't they be?" Tony joked.

"Hmmm, and arrogant, yes?"

"Don't forget they are going to have big attitude problems. My God, they will be pint sized ninjas!" Tony said in mock horror.

"It is going to be fun" Ziva said.

"It's gonna be hard work" Tony said.

"It's going to be perfect!" They both said in unison.

**Don't forget to leave a little review on the way out :)**


	8. What Will Tomorrow Bring?

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Sorry it had been a while since I updated! Here is the new chapter, we have moved forward in time a bit to ensure the storyline doesn't get too static. I was a little disappointed by the lack of reviews (but thanks to NazChick who has reviewed every chapter so far), I never understand how one chapter might get 7 reviews, and then you only get one. So please, please, just leave a little comment if you read this :)**

**Chapter 8 - What Will Tomorrow Bring?**

It was six months later and the DiNozzos were enjoying living in their new home. It had taken quite a while to find it, Ziva had turned out to be much fussier than Tony had thought she would be. But the house was perfect. It was set in a quiet neighbourhood, surrounded by lots of families and parks. The perfect place to bring up a family. That was the problem. It had been a good eight months since they had started trying for a baby, and there had been no success. At first, this did not bother either Tony or Ziva, but Tony had noticed recently that his wife had become withdrawn and uninterested in life. He knew it was going to be a hard subject to tackle, but he knew he had to do it sooner rather than later - before Ziva became so depressed that she refused to talk about it.

Tony wandered into the bedroom to talk to Ziva. She was still asleep in bed, or so Tony had thought. Ziva used to get up early and go for a run before work, but she had stopped doing this, and this had brought home to Tony that there was a major problem. Tony looked towards the en-suite bathroom and saw the door ajar, a sliver of light cutting across the bedroom carpet. Tony pushed the door open and found Ziva sitting on the floor, tears silently sliding down her cheeks. Tony sat down on the floor next to her and looked down at what she was holding, a pregnancy test. His heart lifted for a moment, thinking that the moment they had been waiting for had finally come true, but then reality struck him. It was negative.

"Hey, Sweetcheeks. I'm not going to ask you if you're ok, because I know you're not. But we need to talk about this. Our lives have become strained. and if i'm honest, it's not fun anymore. We have got to sort this out Ziva, before it consumes us"

"I was three days late. I really thought that this was it Tony. But once again, it's negative. How can something you want so much, be something so hard to get? It's all my fault Tony, I would not blame you if you wanted to leave me"

"What are you talking about you crazy ninja? I would never leave you! And how on earth is this your fault?"

"When we were on honeymoon, I told you that I did not want children. This is my punishment"

"Ziva, this is ridiculous, and is exactly why we need to talk about it. Sometimes it takes a year or longer to conceive. There is nothing wrong with you Ziva, we have just got to be patient"

"That is not the only reason Tony" Ziva said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"Let us go to the bedroom yes? This is not the kind of conversation I would like to have on the bathroom floor" Ziva let Tony pull her up from the floor, and they continued to hold hands until they reached the bed.

"I need you just to listen Tony, and to try not to interrupt, or touch me whilst I am talking. Can you promise me you can do that?" Ziva said seriously.

"Of course I can. Just talk Ziva" Tony replied, concerned about what he might soon be hearing.

"I am not sure I am able to have children Tony. When I was younger, part of my Mossad training would be to infiltrate terroist groups and kill the leaders.  
>One time, when I was about sixteen, I was captured by a group. They beat me up, and then took turns in raping me. As you can imagine, they were not gentle, and I was, let us say, left damaged by it. The doctor told me that I may have difficulty ever conceiving a child, and if I was to get pregnant, I would have problems carrying the baby to full term. It is all my fault Tony. I should have told you before, it was not fair to keep you in the black"<p>

"In the dark Ziva. You are the strongest, bravest woman I know. The things you have been through in your life never fail to amaze me Ziva. I am sure there is much more to tell me, but I respect the fact that these are hard things to talk about. This is not your fault Ziva, it is the fault of those who hurt you, and those who failed to protect you. You can be sure that you will never be hurt again, as long as I am here Ziva, I will keep you safe"

"Thank-you Tony. You do not know what those words mean to me. I too, hope I can protect you, and I hope that I can one day give you the child that you deserve. You can hug me now" Ziva smiled at her husband, knowing he was desperate for contact. She let herself be drawn into his arms, and inhaled his scent.

"Tomorrow, we are going to make an appointment with the doctor, and are going to talk to somebody about our problems. I know you will find this hard, but if we want to have children, it is something we must do. Can you do that Ziva?"

"I can, as long as you are by my side"

"I will never leave you Ziva" Tony cuddled Ziva harder and kissed her softly on the cheek. He was pleased that she had opened up to him, and that he now knew what she was going through. Together they would make it work.

The next morning, Ziva woke up to an empty bed. She pulled back the covers and wandered out to the kitchen.

"You are up early Tony, why did you not wake me?" Ziva asked, kissing Tony on the back of the neck, before helping herself to a cup of coffee.

"I wanted to phone Gibbs and tell him we wouldn't be in tomorrow. We need to phone the hospital early and try and get an appointment"

"What did Gibbs say?"

"He told us to to get better soon. I told him we had a stomach bug. Until we know what's going on ourselves, there's no need for anyone else to know"

"Thank-you Tony"

They spent the rest of the day relaxing together and watching numerous movies on the giant television screen that Tony had insisted they buy when moving into the house. That night, whilst settling to sleep, Tony couldn't help but watch Ziva sleep.

"If you do not go to sleep soon Tony, I will have to insist that you sleep on the couch because the eyes on the back of my head and driving me crazy!" Ziva laughed.

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking about tomorrow and what it will bring"

"We will not know any answers tomorrow my hairy little butt, so it is not worth worrying about"

"I suppose you're right"

"I always am"

"Good-night Sweetcheeks" Tony replied, but he was greeted by a soft snore.

"You really are a crazy ninja chick, but I do love you" Tony whispered in her ear before he rolled over to sleep. Ziva didn't respond, but her lips twitched into a smile.

**So, what did you think. Please leave a little comment :)**


	9. News, good or bad?

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks for the reviews, still a little bit of a lack of interest in this story, but I'm hoping that this chapter will change that :) Sorry for the very sporadic updates, life is very busy.**

**Chapter Nine - News, good or bad?**

It was two weeks later. Tony and Ziva were sitting nervously in the waiting area of the hospital. They had been to see Ziva's doctor, who had referred them to a fertility specialist. Tony had been finding the wait hard, but that was nothing compared to how Ziva had been coping. As time went on, Tony could hardly recognise Ziva as ever being a cold hearted Mossad officer. She looked incapable of swatting a fly, let alone shooting a man in cold blood. She had spent the last two weeks investigating every possibility of why they were unable to conceive, and had come up with nothing. This had left her frustrated, and every time Tony had tried to comfort her, she had shouted at him, and then run away. In the end, Tony had left Ziva to cope on her own, it may have sounded harsh, but it was the only way that he was going to keep their relationship together. This morning however, Ziva had opened her heart a little. She had apologised for her behaviour, and admitted that she had been a nightmare to live with. All she wanted was answers, and Ziva really hoped that today would help her with that. Both Tony's and Ziva's thoughts were interrupted by the doctor calling them into her office.

"Good Morning. My name is Janet Dupree. It's nice to meet you"

"Morning. I am Tony Dinozzo, and this is my wife Ziva"

"Alright. I have read the referral letter from your doctor Mrs DiNozzo. Please can you talk me through why you are here today, and how we can help you"

"We have been trying to conceive for about nine months now, and have had no success. It has become a strain on our relationship, and we are concerned that there may be a problem"

"Ok. Now, normally we would advise that you try for about a year before seeking help for this kind of problem, but I see in your referral letter, that certain events in your past may have left fertility issues. Is that correct Mrs DiNozzo?"

Ziva knew that the doctor was referring to her gang rape, and nodded quietly.

"I understand that this must be very difficult for you to deal with, but it may be an important reason as to why you and your husband are having problems"

Ziva could feel herself getting hot and sweaty. She tried to take some deep breaths, but she was unable to quell the feeling of nausea that was creeping up her throat. She jumped up off the chair and ran out of the room, trying to look for the nearest bathroom. Once inside the stall, she heaved until she had thrown up her entire breakfast. She leant back against the tiles and tried to calm her breathing down. It had been a long time since her past had unleashed feelings like this and she wasn't sure she was ready to face this again. She heard the door open and recognised the footsteps. Ziva pulled herself off the floor, and flushed the toilet. She unlocked the door and let the arms of her husband comfort her. After a few minutes, Tony looked down at her and asked her if she was ready to face the doctor again. Ziva nodded, a little hesitantly, but followed Tony out of the bathroom and back into the office. The doctor gave Ziva a sympathetic smile and passed her a glass of water.

"I am sorry for evoking such bad memories Ziva, but I won't press for any more details today. You seem to have a good doctor who has detailed everything nicely in the letter for me. The first step I want to take today, is to do some basic blood tests on you Ziva and an ultrasound scan. If these are normal, then we will move to you Mr DiNozzo, to make sure that everything is ok with you. Does that sound ok?"

Tony and Ziva nodded, both greatful for the help.

Doctor Dupree took the bloods from Ziva first, and then led her over to to the examination table.

"Now if you can just roll up your top, that's lovely. I am going to place some gel on your stomach, it may be a little cold"

"So what does this scan show?" Tony asked.

"This is to check that all Ziva's internal organs and structures are normal. If any damage has occurred from anything that has happened in the past, the scan will help to show that up"

"Ok, thank-you" Tony replied as he held Ziva's hand.

Ziva watched the doctor's face as she did the scan, trying to work out if she had noticed any problems. After a couple of minutes, Ziva noticed that Dr Dupree looked surprised.

"Is something wrong Doctor?" Ziva asked, worried that her greatest fears would be confirmed.

"No, the exact opposite in fact. Do you see this tiny shape here Ziva?" Dr Dupree pointed to a small white shape on the screen. Ziva nodded.

"This is a baby Ziva. Congratulations are in order, you are pregnant!"

"A baby? That cannot be. I did a test two weeks ago, it was negative" Ziva replied, in shock.

"Sometimes, depending on your hormones, a positive result doesn't always show up so early on in pregnancy. The fetus looks to be about 5 weeks old"

"I'm going to be a dad?" Tony asked, his eyes transfixed on the screen.

"Yes Mr DiNozzo, a very proud father, I can tell. Well, there are certainly some very nice surprises in my job sometimes, and this is one of them"

"Thank-you so much Doctor" Tony said.

"You are very welcome. Now, on a serious note, your pregnany will be managed as a moderate to high risk pregnancy due to your past Ziva. This does not mean that anything will go wrong, but it will mean that you will receive more scans and more appointments to ensure that this baby reaches your arms safe and well in just under eight months time. The scan looked perfect, and I do not anticipate any problems, but I feel it is important to mention these issues"

"I understand, and feel more comforted by the fact that we will be closely monitored" Ziva replied, still in a state of shock from the news.

"Ok, that is probably enough news for today! I will give you a prescription for some vitamins, and of course a photo of todays scan. I will see you in about 7 weeks for another scan"

Tony and Ziva left the hospital with a sense of disbelief. For what was supposed to be a very hard day, turned out to be a very special day. The journey of a new family had begun. As Tony watched Ziva unconsciously cradle her stomach with her hands he smiled. He placed his hands over hers and whispered the six words that brought tears to Ziva's eyes.

_"I love you both so much"_

**Yippee! Some good news for TIVA! Please leave a little comment on the way out :)**


	10. A Dream Come True

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Wow, thanks so much for all the reviews, I'm guessing everyone was happy about the baby! I really appreciate the support and am enjoying creating this story so much.**

**Chapter Ten - A Dream Come True**

Three weeks had passed since the happy news, and the morning sickness had started. Ziva was now used to the nauseous feeling as soon as she opened her eyes in the morning, but it was usually sometime after breakfast, and normally at work when the vomiting occurred. This made Tony feel helpless as he wanted to be with Ziva through every moment, and this was very difficult at work. This morning, however, Tony was able to be of some use. He rolled over in the bed as the sun started to stream though the window. He looked at the clock which read 06:00. Once he was more awake, he noticed that the other half of the bed was empty. Tony sat up slowly and looked through the open door of the bedroom. He could see the light shining in the bathroom, and realised that Ziva was either taking an early shower, or the baby was tormenting her. He slid out of bed and wandered towards the bathroom. There was no sound of running water, but Tony could hear some heavy breathing coming from inside. Tony pushed the door open, and found Ziva sitting on the floor.

"Hey, you alright Sweetcheeks?" Tony asked, sitting next to her on the floor.

"I am sorry for waking you Tony, this was unexpected at this time of the day"

"Hey, don't apologise, and I'm not even gonna start quoting the Boss's rules! I want to be here for you Ziva, and if that means holding your hair back whilst you puke into the toilet, then that's what I'm gonna do. You better get used to it"

"Thank-you Tony. I do appreciate it, and I do not mean to push you away. All my life, I have had to deal with things on my own, so it always takes me a bit longer to accept help"

"No problem my ninja. Do you think you are done here?"

"I think so. I guess the advantage is that I might be able to keep breakfast down this morning!" Ziva grinned.

"Well, in that case, you get your butt in the shower, and I'll make some pancakes" Tony kissed Ziva on the cheek and patted her belly.

Ziva felt much better after her shower and joined Tony in the kitchen for breakfast.

"These pancakes are wonderful Tony, but I do not see any signs of you having made them!" Ziva teased. She had already spotted the packaging in the bin.

"I confess, they are ready made pancakes. Boss will kill us if we're late. He's already mad at me for getting you pregnant"

"What do you mean?" Ziva asked, seriously.

"Don't worry, he was only joking. He's very pleased for us, but he's going to miss having you out in the field.

"So am I. I have only got another two months before I am resigned to desk duty. I will warn you Tony, I will be extremely hormonal and you had better watch out!"

Gibbs had decided that Ziva could work in the field until she was four months pregnant. By that time, the bump would have started to show, which would put Ziva and the baby at increased risk from potential suspects. She would start her maternity leave from about eight months, depending on how the pregnancy was going, which would mean four months of desk work. Ziva was not sure she was going to have the patience to chain herself to a desk for that long, but the thought of her much wanted baby being put in danger helped to put things in perspective. She had already begun to cradle her stomach with her hands, even though there were no signs of a bump there yet. Ziva was going to be extra protective of the little life she had inside of her, nothing was going to harm it. Tony was pleasantly surprised at how Ziva was dealing with everything. She was coping remarkably well with the changes of her life, and nothing made him prouder but to watch her whisper quietly to their baby when she thought no-one was watching.

"You ready to go Tony?" Ziva shouted at her husband a few minutes later.

"Sure honey, whose turn is it to drive?" Tony asked, dreading the answer.

"I believe it is mine. But I do not know why you are still pulling those faces, I am much more careful these days" Ziva retaliated.

"Sure you are Sweetcheeks. You only went through one red light last time you drove!"

"Don't be such a baby!"

"Hey, a contraction. So you can use them, at least I won't have to worry about the baby picking up on your strange use of the american language!"

"I will teach the baby hebrew so we can talk in peace without being interrupted"

Tony just sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win this one.

They were on the way to work and Tony was actually quite impressed by Ziva's driving, when the car suddenly lurched across the road and came to a halt.

"Just when I was going to compliment you on your driving, you pull a stunt like that you crazy ninja chick" Tony turned round to Ziva, but noticed that she was no longer in the car. Tony got out and went round to Ziva's side of the car to find her bent over and losing her breakfast on the side of the road.

"I guess the pancakes didn't want to stay in" Tony said, rubbing Ziva's back gently.

"Ugh, I am not sure I like this Tony" Ziva sighed, rinsing her mouth out with some water from a bottle she kept in the car.

"I know Ziva, but it won't be forever, and just think of what we are going to get at the end of it"

"That is easy to say when you can't even enjoy breakfast anymore. You can drive the rest of the way" Ziva passed Tony the keys and got back in the passenger side and closed her eyes, willing the nausea to pass.

"Is it safe to go?" Tony asked.

"I think so, I think that will be it for today.

They arrived in the ballpen ten minutes later, and by now Ziva was feeling better. Gibbs glanced at her and raised his eyebrows for confirmation that she was ok. Ziva nodded to say she was.

"Why are you late DiNozzo?" Gibbs shouted.

"Sorry Boss, we had some vomiting issues"

"Morning sickness is horrid" Ziva added.

"Ginger used to help Shannon with her morning sickness, you should try it Ziva. DiNozzo, McGee, grab your gear, dead marine!"

Tony smiled sympathetically at Ziva as the team made their way to the elevator.

"It will be worth it David" Gibbs yelled as the doors closed.

Ziva leant back in her chair and pulled out the picture from the scan.

"Yes, it will be worth it" Ziva wiped a tear away, a tear of happiness, a tear of a dream come true.

**Aw, I do love a little bit of Tiva fluff :) What did you think?**


	11. Sweetcheeks

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Another apology for the delay! Here is the next chapter, thanks for all the reviews/alerts. Keep 'em coming :)**

**Chapter 11 - Sweetcheeks**

Ziva had made it to the magic twelve weeks. and woke up excited knowing she was going to see her baby again today. The last three weeks had been tiring, with her morning sickness steadily getting worse. But Ziva was happy to cope with it, knowing that it was all for a good cause. She groaned as she felt her stomach churning. She leapt out of bed and made her way to the toilet. As expected, after a few moments of retching, she felt the strong warm hands of her husband holding back her hair.

"Hey honey, I bet you're gonna be so happy when this is over?" Tony said sympathetically. He was tired too. He knew he didn't have to get up every time Ziva was sick, but he wanted to be with her every step of the way.

"I will, although in a strange way, it feels normal. I mean, that everything must be ok if I'm being sick, yes?"

"Of course everything is ok, we have one tough ninja baby in there" Tony patted Ziva's tummy as she leant against him, having finished her morning sickness routine.

"I am so excited to see the baby today. It is starting to feel real and not just a dream"

"It sure is Sweetcheeks" Tony kissed Ziva as he helped her to her feet.

A couple of hours later and they were waiting patiently, or inpatiently as in Ziva's case, for their scan. It wasn't too long before they were called in.

"Good morning Tony, Ziva. How are you both?" Doctor Dupree said.

"We are good thank-you. Very excited in fact!" Ziva replied.

"How have things been Ziva?"

"I have been feeling quite tired, and have had a lot of sickness. But in all honesty, I am just so happy that it does not matter"

"We will take some bloods today to check your iron levels, as you look a little pale. The sickness is normal as you know, and you just have to remember to rest as much as you can. I know it is difficult in your job Ziva, but this is a precious pregnancy"

"Actually, my Boss has been very good, and Tony has been wonderful"

"Thanks Sweetcheeks!" Tony replied, getting a glare off Ziva for using her pet name in public.

"Tony, you have been very quiet, how have you been feeling?" Doctor Dupree asked.

"It has taken some time to get used to the idea, but we both want what is best for the baby and for Ziva of course"

"You seem like such a lovely couple, this baby is going to be very loved. Now, shall we take a look?"

"Yes!" Tony and Ziva replied, unable to contain their excitement, which made the doctor laugh.

Ziva flinched when the cold jelly was placed on her stomach, but as soon as she heard the magic sound of the heartbeat filling the room.

"So there is your baby, everything looks good Ziva, well-done. I will leave you two alone to watch it for a couple of minutes"

"What do you think Sweetcheeks?" Tony asked.

"I think it is beautiful" Ziva replied, tears running down her cheeks.

"Are you ok?"

"It is something I thought I would never see Tony. Thank-you for giving me the best present in the whole world"

"Thank-you for carrying it!"

The doctor took some bloods from Ziva and gave them pictures of the scans. Tony and Ziva wasted no time in going into work and showing everyone the scan pictures. Abby demanded on having one and posting it up on the wall of her lab. Everybody was so happy for them, especially for Ziva, and they were all looking forward to the new addition to their family.

A couple of days went by and Ziva had not been feeling very well. She had stayed at home at Tony's request, even though she felt she could go to work. They had spent the morning arguing which had upset Ziva as she was not able to control her hormones. She was lying in bed when Tony called her on her mobile.

"Hey Sweetcheeks, how are you feeling?" Tony asked.

"I am fine Tony. How is work?"

"We just got back from the field, dead marine found in the woods. Just going through all the evidence. Are you sure you're ok?"

"Please stop worrying. I am just a little tired, which is nothing new"

"Ziva, you could barely get out of bed, and I swear you had a temperature"

"Well I am fine now. Are you going to be home on time today?"

"I hope so, I'll pick some food up on the way ok? I love you Ziva"

"I love you too Tony"

Tony laughed as he hung up the phone. Sometimes living with Ziva could be very complicated, and it was only going to get worse when a baby was involved. The rest of the day went smoothly and Tony was whistling as he opened the front door. He had picked up Ziva's favourite food and was looking forward to looking after her, as he knew she wouldn't do that herself. He glanced around the apartment after placing the food in the kitchen, then made his way to the bedroom.  
>He noticed that the light was on in the bathroom, and he assumed that Ziva had been sick again. He pushed the door open and found Ziva curled in a ball on the floor, crying. He knelt down beside her and gathered her in his arms.<p>

"Sweetcheeks, what is the matter?"

"I'm bleeding Tony"

**There had to be a little bit of drama in amongst the fluff! Please review :)**


	12. Baby Blues

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - I am so sorry for the delay once again, but thanks for the reviews and alerts :)**

**Chapter Twelve - Baby Blues**

Tony had taken control as soon as those words had slipped from Ziva's mouth. He wanted time to panic but knew he had to get Ziva to the hospital as quick and as calmly as possible. Internally, his heart was aching, he just wanted to see his baby again and be reassured that everything was alright. He was quietly confident that everything was in fact fine, and was trying to get Ziva to see the same.

"Come on Sweetcheeks, let's get you into the car. We are going to the hospital, and they are going to tell us that everything is alright" Tony said softly as he wrapped a blanket around Ziva's shoulders.

"I'm bleeding Tony. There is nothing fine about that" Ziva replied, her voice husky from all the crying. She was barely holding it together. She knew it had all been too good to be true. Nothing ever went smoothly for her.

"I know Ziva, but we have got to stay postive until we hear otherwise" Tony guided Ziva out of the house and into the car. He noticed the tears starting to fall down her cheeks again. He got into the driving seat and planted a kiss on her forehead. There was nothing he could do to make her feel better.

They had been at the hospital for about an hour. Ziva had had several tests taken and they were waiting to be seen by a doctor. Ziva had been refusing to talk, her grief had been slowly building and she truly believed that the pregnancy was over. This was tearing Tony apart. He wanted to be supportive, but he didn't want to push Ziva away. He had popped out of the room to get some coffee, and phone Gibbs to inform him of what was happening. Gibbs had not said much, but Tony could tell he was worried.

"Mr and Mrs DiNozzo. I am sorry to have kept you waiting. My name is Dr Naylor. How are you feeling Mrs DiNozzo?"

Ziva kept quiet so Tony spoke for her.

"She has been feeling unwell for a couple of days. She had a fever this morning and felt very tired. I got home from work and she had started to have some bleeding"

"I see. Now, we have run some tests on your blood and urine. It appears that you have a urinary tract infection, which would explain your symptoms. This can cause some bleeding to occur in pregnancy. I am going to do an ultrasound scan and have a look at your baby and make sure everything is alright"

Tony held onto Ziva's hand as the doctor started the scan. It took a while and some nervous moments, but soon the room was filled by the sound of a heartbeat.

"There is your baby, looks very healthy, and the heartbeat is within the perfect range for your gestation. We would like to keep you in overnight for observation and to give you some antibiotics directly into your bloodstream which should combat the infection quickly. As long as there is no further bleeding and you are feeling better, you should be able to go home tomorrow. I know this has been a shock to you both, but be reassured that although this has happened, it should pose no threat to the rest of your pregnancy"

"Thank-you so much Doctor" Tony replied.

"I will get you moved to a ward shortly so you can get settled in. One of the nurses will come in and start the antibiotics and give you something for your fever Mrs DiNozzo. I will also start some intravenous fluids overnight as you look a little dehydrated"

The doctor left the room and Tony sat on the bed next to Ziva.

"Are you alright Ziva? You heard what the doctor said didn't you? DiNozzo junior is fine"

"Yes I heard, I am just processing it. I cannot believe that everything is alright. I was prepared for the worst" Ziva began to cry again.

"Hey, that's understandable honey. If I'm honest, I thought so too. But our baby is a little fighter, and I promise you that I won't let anything happen to him or you"

"You cannot always prevent things Tony. But thank-you for being so calm tonight. I know it didn't seem like it, but I did appreciate it. You are wonderful Tony"

"How are you feeling, and be honest this time?"

"I am very tired, and I feel quite nauseous. But underneath it all is just plain happiness.

In the next couple of hours, Ziva had been moved to a private room. She had been started on a drip and given antibiotics and was now asleep. Tony kissed her goodnight, and also kissed her stomach.

"Be good for your mummy little one, I don't want any more scares please"

Tony left the hospital after ensuring the nurses knew to call him at any time if anything happened. He didn't feel like going home so he went to another familiar place. He opened the door and looked around, but saw no-one. Then he heard the familiar sound of sanding coming from the basement. Tony walked down the steps and greeted Gibbs.

"How is she?" Gibbs said as he stopped sanding the boat.

"She's fine, and the baby is fine. She's got an infection, has to stay overnight but she should be home tomorrow" Tony sighed.

"Bourbon?" Gibbs asked as he poured himself one.

"No, better not, just incase anything happens, I need to be able to drive"

"She's going to be fine DiNozzo"

"She completely shut herself down today. I didn't know how to handle it. I have never seen Ziva as emotional as she has been over the last few months"

"Is she still talking to you?"

"Of course"

"Well, you obviously handled it just fine. Don't worry Tony, as long as she knows she has you right by her side, she'll be fine"

"Thanks Boss"

Tony was about to walk up the stairs and head home when his phone started to ring.

"Very Special Agent DiNozzo speaking. Ziva? I'm on my way!" Tony slammed the phone down and looked at Gibbs.

"That was the hospital, there's something wrong with Ziva, I've got to go"

Tony ran out of the basement, and left Gibbs alone with his boat. Gibbs let out a silent prayer that everything would be alright for his 'kids'.

**Oops, another cliffhanger, sorry! Let me know what you thought, please :)**


	13. No More Dramas

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks so much for all the reviews, they make me very happy :) My dream is to get to 100 reviews so lets make that happen!**

**Chapter Thirteen - No More Dramas**

Tony had never driven so fast in his life. He had been scared of Ziva's driving so often that he was unable to speed normally, but these were not normal circumstances. His heart was pounding as he ran through the hospital corridors and onto the ward where Ziva was. He ran to the door of her room and was met by Dr Naylor.

"What's the matter with Ziva? Is she ok? Is it the baby?" Tony yelled, his speech coming out in short bursts from the exertion of his run.

"Calm down Mr DiNozzo. Ziva is resting now. She had a nightmare and was very difficult to wake up. She put a lot of stress on her body, which in turn stressed the baby out for a little while. We have given your wife a sedative and I am pleased to say that they are now both doing well"

"So she's ok?" Tony asked, relief spreading through him.

"Yes, as long as she stays calm, I don't foresee any further problems"

Tony thanked the doctor as she left him to enter the room. Ziva was asleep and looked as peaceful as when he had left earlier. He sat next to the bed and held on to Ziva's hand. He watched the monitor closely for a few minutes just to reassure himself that everything was in fact alright. He had been scared that he was going to lose two of the closest things to him. It seemed crazy to him, that he could love his baby as much as he did when he had not even met him or her. Tony took a deep breath to calm himself down and just smiled as he pulled out the latest scan photo from his wallet. He quickly wiped away a tear as a nurse entered the room.

"Hello Mr DiNozzo. I am sorry we had to call you back again, especially as everything is now alright. How are you?"

"Please, call me Tony. And don't ever worry about calling me, Ziva is my life and I would do anything for her. I am fine now, but she sure knows how to give me a scare"

"She gave us all one. She was screaming in another language and it was very difficult to calm her down, which is why we had to sedate her"

"That would be hebrew, she always reverts to that if something is stressing her out. She hasn't had a nightmare for a while, but I guess with all the stress today, I can't blame her. A baby is all she ever wanted, she would never forgive herself if anything happened to it"

"Well they are both doing well. I am going to give her another dose of antibiotics, but her fever has reduced and everything looks good"

"How long will she be asleep for?"

"Probably only the next couple of hours, we couldn't give the maximum dose due to the pregnancy"

"I am going to stay with her, I know how to calm her down"

"That's fine, I'll get you a blanket"

"Don't worry, I don't want to sleep. Thank-you" Tony said as the nurse left the room. He settled into the chair and just watched Ziva sleep.

It was four in the morning when Ziva woke up. Tony was lightly dozing in the chair and felt his hand being squeezed. He opened his eyes and smiled at Ziva.

"How are you feeling my ninja?" Tony asked, leaning across the bed to give her a kiss.

"A bit groggy but better than yesterday. Why are you still here?" Ziva asked, frowning.

"You had a nightmare last night, they couldn't calm you down and they were worried about you and the baby. They called me in, but when I arrived they had sedated you and you were asleep"

"I don't remember. Is the baby alright?" Ziva shot up in bed in a panic.

"The baby is fine, and you are fine. Now go back to sleep, I want you in the best health for tomorrow so I can take you home"

"Can you sleep with me Tony, I do not want to be alone"

Tony pulled back the covers and slipped in the bed beside Ziva. He cradled her in his arms and they fell into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, Ziva was feeling much better. She had been seen by the doctor and had been discharged home on oral antibiotics and a weeks bed rest. Tony carried her from the car into the house and settled her into their bedroom.

"It really is not necessary to carry me everywhere Tony. The doctor said I could walk short distances" Ziva complained.

"I am not taking any chances Ziva. The only place you are walking to is the bathroom" Tony said firmly.

They spent the rest of the day in bed watching films. It was a very peaceful day, apart from a visit from Abby who had blasted into the bedroom and paced around for five minutes until Ziva could reassure her that everything was alright. The rest of the team also visited throughout the afternoon, and it was early evening before Tony and Ziva were finally on their own again. Tony made some pasta for dinner, and had to force Ziva to eat.

"I really am not hungry Tony, I am not a baby, I do not need to be force fed"

"You need to keep your strength up Ziva. It's not just you that you need to look after, it's junior. You can't take your medication on an empty stomach so eat!" Tony retaliated. Whenever he brought the baby into anything, he knew he would get Ziva to comply. And sure enough, she managed to eat most of the dinner.

"Can we have an early night tonight?" Ziva said, later in the night.

"Of course. Are you tired?"

"I feel drained. Not in a bad way, but the change of emotions in the last couple of days has been hard. I am just so thankful that everything is alright"

"Me too. When they called me from the hospital, I was so scared that something terrible had happened. I drove so fast to get to you, you would have been proud!"

"Thank-you Tony. You are always here for me, whenever I need you. I used to joke that you were the class clown, and you are, but you are also the most dependable man. I am a very lucky girl"

"I'm lucky too Ziva, I have got the life that I always wanted. Now no more dramas ok?"

"That is something that I will whole heartedly agree on" Ziva laughed.

They wished each other good night, and entwined their bodies together whilst they slept. No more dramas, how true would that be?

**See, everything is ok! For now...ha ha. Review please :)**


	14. Very Exciting

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks again for the reviews, I love them :)**

**Chapter Fourteen - Very Exciting**

Ziva did not know how she had managed to keep sane during her week of bed rest. The only thing that had kept her going was the thought of the health of her baby. She was not willing to take any more risks during her pregnancy, and had even considered giving up work completely. That thought had only lasted a few seconds before reality had hit, and Ziva knew there was no way she would survive the next few months without her job at NCIS. Tony had been wonderful during the last week. Gibbs had given him two days off to ensure that Ziva behaved herself and complied with medical advice. Once Tony was satisfied that Ziva could be left to her own devices, he had returned to work. Gibbs had taken pity on Tony, and had let him leave early most days.

It was now sunday, and the last day of captivity for Ziva.

"I am looking forward to seeing everybody tomorrow. It has been a long week" Ziva said, as she sipped her decaf tea, whilst sitting in bed with Tony.

"Are you sure you are well enough to go back to work. You have only just finished your antibiotics and bed rest"

"I am fine Tony. And before you say that I always say that, I really am. I need to go back to work. Staying here for another day will drive me insane"

"Send you insane Sweetcheeks. At least you are only on desk duty, that way I can keep an eye on you!"

"I will behave myself Tony. I have learnt my lesson. The first sign that anything is wrong, I will be straight to the hospital. I will not lose the most precious thing in the world to me" Ziva said with a tear in her eye. She was still beating herself up about the fact that she had ignored the symptoms of her UTI. She would not be making that mistake again.

"Hey, everything is alright. If you had thought for one second that anything was wrong, you would have done something about it. I knew you were unwell, and I left you on your own. If I hadn't got home when I did, well, I don't even want to think about it"

"Let us stop this. As you say, everything is fine. Now, what are you going to make me for breakfast this morning?"

"I thought I would save the DiNozzo special for this morning, pancakes!"

"Sounds very nice. You have been very good to me this week Tony, a model husband"

"Who would have thought it!" Tony laughed.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing in bed together, watching films and talking. By nightime, Tony could tell that Ziva was getting restless, as if she couldn't settle.

"What is the matter Sweetcheeks?"

"I do not know Tony. Something is bothering me, I have a feeling in my stomach that something is not right" Ziva said calmly. Tony leapt out of bed.

"I am taking you to the hospital right now!" Tony shouted.

"What? Oh Tony, I mean that feeling that Gibbs gets" Ziva laughed, as she watched Tony pacing the room in his boxers.

"Gut feeling by any chance?" Tony replied, as he slipped back into bed next to his wife.

"Yes, gut feeling. Nothing is wrong with me or the baby Tony so stop panicking. I am worried that something is going to happen to you"

"Why?"

"Our job is dangerous Tony. Nothing seems to go right for us, what if something happens to you? I cannot live without you"

"Ziva, you are being irrational. You are tired, it has been a stressful week. Please just try and get some sleep. Nothing is going to happen to me. Can you imagine the slap on the back of the head Gibbs would give me if anything did?"

"That is very true. I am sorry Tony, it must be the hormones talking. It is like having an alien take over your body, I have never felt quite so insecure about things"

"That's normal. Now, sleep, please. I love you"

"I love you too"

Abby was waiting for Ziva at her desk the following morning.

"Ziva! Good morning, it is so good to see you back again. You look like you're blooming! There's a cupcake on the desk for you, make sure no-one steals it Ziva" Abby engulfed Ziva in a hug, which Ziva happily returned.

"It's good to see you back Ziva" McGee added.

"Thank-you. It is nice to be back"

"Abs, get down to your lab, I need you to take a look at this. McGee, trace this number. DiNozzo, if I catch you playing that computer game one more time I will slap you all the way to New York. Welcome back Ziver" Gibbs walked into the ballpen, shouting orders to the team. He stopped at Ziva's desk.

"You alright to be here?" Gibbs asked.

"I am fine Gibbs. It is nice to have the freedom to walk wherever I want to go"

"Ok, I need you to interrogate someone for me. Are you up to that?"

"Definately!" Ziva's eyes lit up.

Gibbs let Tony get Ziva up to speed on the latest case of a dead marine found hanging in the garage of his home after a homecoming party. It had originally been treated as suicide, but Ducky had determined that this was not the case. Evidence had pointed to the marine's wife, as there was a substantial life insurance policy.

Ziva enjoyed being able to interrogate again. It came naturally to her, although since being in America, she had learnt to interrogate without hurting the suspect. It had taken barely twenty minutes before Ziva had got a confession out of the wife. Ziva got up to leave the room, when the wife had launched herself at Ziva. Tony had been watching from the observation room with Gibbs, and they both ran to Ziva's aid. When they got to the room, Ziva was sitting on the wife, and was putting handcuffs on her.

"She is a fiesty one" Ziva said, as the security guard came to take the woman away to custody.

"You alright Ziva?" Tony asked, worried.

"I am fine"

"Go to Ducky, get checked out and then go home. DiNozzo, go with her" Gibbs stated.

"Gibbs, that really is not necessary" Ziva tried to argue, but saw in Gibbs eyes that she had no chance of succeeding. Ducky declared that she was fit and well, and the DiNozzos headed home.

The next few weeks passed by with little excitement. Ziva continued to 'bloom' as Abby described it, and the time had finally come for their next scan.

"Good morning Tony, Ziva. It has been a while since I saw you guys. I hear you have had a bit of a rough ride Ziva?" Dr Dupree said.

"Yes, I was hospitalised with a urinary tract infection, but I am fine now. It was a worry, but we are doing well"

"How is the morning sickness?"

"Almost gone. I am actually feeling very healthy"

"You look well Ziva. So we are at 18 weeks now, and at this scan I can almost certainly determine the sex of your baby. Would you like to know?"

Ziva looked across at Tony. They had discussed this, and had not been able to make a decision.

"I think I would like to find out. I thought I would want it to be a surprise, but I really want to know" Ziva said.

"I agree"

"Alright then, let's have a look"

Ziva smiled as her baby came on the screen.

"Baby looks good, measurements are all normal for your gestation, and the heartbeat is nice and strong. Are you sure you want to find out?"

"Yes!" Tony and Ziva replied together.

"You are going to have a beautiful little baby girl" Dr Dupree smiled.

Tony started to grin and clasped Ziva's hand in his. Tears began to stream down Ziva's face.

"Are you happy?" Tony asked Ziva.

"I am so happy. This may sound stupid, but this is like a gift from my sister Tali. Oh my beautiful baby girl, I love you so much"

Tony leant over and kissed Ziva's stomach. Dr Dupree got up and left the couple to have a moment on their own. She had to wipe a tear from her own eyes.  
>The DiNozzo's were a very special couple, and it was moments like this that made her job so worthwhile.<p>

Ziva couldn't stop crying. Just mentioning her sisters name had brought back many sad memories for her. Ziva knew that she would have been happy had the baby been a boy, but a little girl was that little bit extra special for her. It was very exciting.

**Aw, a baby girl :) Please leave a little comment on the way out, pretty please :)**


	15. Shopping Hazards

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks for all the reviews, please keep them coming :)**

**Chapter Fifteen - Shopping Hazards**

A few weeks had passed and Ziva had reached the magic twenty-four week stage. Of course, it was still far too early for a baby to be born, but with the advances in neonatal medicine, the chances of the baby surviving were improving all the time. Ziva now felt that she could fully relax about the pregnancy, and had even agreed to go shopping with Abby to buy the first of many baby items. Tony also felt that he could now relax a bit more now. Many evenings, he had listened through the bathroom door whilst Ziva was in the bath. She had taken to talking to the baby, albeit thinking that she was doing so in privacy, and was basically willing the baby to arrive into the world at the perfect time, and in perfect health. Tony felt that he was in a difficult predicament. He wanted to be able to reassure Ziva, but at the same time, he didn't want her to know that he had been listening to her. Now he knew that Ziva was finally enjoying the pregnancy, he had decided to not mention anything and enjoy it with her.

"Good morning girls, are you looking forward to your shopping trip with Abby today?" Tony asked as Ziva walked into the kitchen after her shower. He sat her down at the table and delivered a bowl of cereal and a decaf tea in front of her.

"Yes, it will be nice to start buying some things for our little girl. I never thought that it would excite me as much as it does" Ziva replied.

"It is very exciting. I am going to start thinking about the nursery. I know she isn't going to be using it for a while, but it would be nice to start getting it ready"

"I will leave that up to you Tony. That can be your job"

"Gibbs has already said he will make us the furniture"

"Really? He is taking his role as 'Grandpa Gibbs' very seriously" Ziva joked.

"Yeah, underneath that steely eyed ex marine persona, he really does care"

"I never thought I would have a family like this Tony. With my mother and father dead, and my brother and sister dead, I just cannot believe how lucky I am. And how lucky our baby is going to be"

"Hey, don't upset yourself. Today is going to be a nice day" Tony replied, noticing Ziva's eyes getting tearful. Hormones were playing havoc with Ziva at the moment, and Tony had to tread very carefully in order not to upset her.

The doorbell rang and Ziva let Abby in.

"Hi guys! Are you excited Ziva? I am, I totally couldn't sleep last night, was thinking about all the things we could buy today!" Abby threw her arms around Ziva.

"We are not going to go too mad today Abby. It is still early days after all" Ziva reminded the over-excited Abby.

"I know, but I can't help but be so excited for you guys. We waited so long for you to get together and it is like a little NCIS fairytale!"

"Go on. get out of here. Abby, look after Ziva, she gets tired easily, but won't admit it" Tony kissed Ziva good-bye and was surprised when he felt a hand at the back of the head.

"Did you just slap me Sweetcheeks?"

"Yes I did, I can look after myself. Come on Abby"

Tony laughed as he bid good-bye to the girls. He jumped into the shower and then decided to drive to the town to get some paint for the nursery. He spent quite a while choosing from different colours, but finally decided on one he liked. He couldn't wait to get started on the nursery and was pleased that Ziva had given him control over it. He got back in his car and started on the short drive home. Tony was humming to himself and thinking about how Ziva was getting on shopping. He knew Abby could be very demanding, and he really hoped that Ziva would let her know if she was getting too tired. Tony didn't get time to think any further, as a truck ran a red light and plowed into the side of his car. His last thought before fading into unconsciousness was the pink paint that was spilling out over the backseat.

Ziva had enjoyed her trip with Abby. They had spent a couple of hours wandering around the shop, and picking up a couple of bits for the baby. Ziva had had to remind Abby that she was having a little girl, and that she did not want to dress her all in black when she was so tiny. Abby drove Ziva home and made her promise that she would get some rest, as she had spent the journey home yawning. Ziva was surprised to find the house empty when she got home, and wondered where Tony was. She tried ringing his mobile, but it went straight to voicemail. Ziva then realised that she had not taken her mobile out with her, and she wandered to the bedroom where it was lying on the bedside table. She was surprised to find a text message and three missed calls. She opened the text and smiled as she read it.

_"How does pretty in pink sound for the nursery? I love you, T xx"_

Ziva did not recognise the number that had left the missed call, so she decided to reply to Tony and then lay down for a while.

_"Sounds perfect. Where are you? We miss and love you. Ziva and bump xx"_

After a few minutes of having her eyes closed, Ziva heard the doorbell ring. She groaned and manouvered off the bed. She opened the door to find Gibbs standing on the other side.

"Gibbs, what are you doing here?"

"Ziver, you're going to have to be brave. Tony's been in an accident, they couldn't get hold of you so they called me. He's at Bethesda. Grab your shoes and I'll drive us there"

Ziva stood at the door, motionless. Gibbs saw the colour drain from her face and grabbed her around the waist before she could fall on the floor. He led her to the couch and sat her down. He knelt down in front of her and placed his hands on her knees.

"Ziva, I know this is a shock, but I need you to pull yourself together so I can get you to the hospital"

"Is he dead?" Ziva asked, her voice monotone.

"No, I don't know his condition but I know he's not dead"

It took Gibbs a few minutes, but he eventually managed to get Ziva in the car. He wanted to speed to the hospital, but was frightened that Ziva would be sick, given the pallor of her face. Once they arrived at the emergency department, he deposited Ziva in the waiting area and went to find out what was happening with Tony. A nurse assured Gibbs that a doctor would be out to talk to them both soon.

Gibbs sat back down next to Ziva and held her hand.

"Mrs DiNozzo?" A doctor called out. Gibbs held up his hand and gestured for the doctor.

"My name is Dr Brown, I have been looking after Mr DiNozzo. As you know he was in a car accident. He has miraculously escaped without any broken bones, but he has suffered a serious head injury. At the moment, we are transferring him to our intensive care unit where we can monitor him closely. We have done a scan on his brain which has shown a lot of swelling and bruising, but thankfully no bleeding. He is in a coma at the moment, and unfortunately, I do not know when or if he is going to come out of it. He has got a 50/50 chance of survival. I am sorry to tell you such bad news. One of the nurses will come and take you to ITU as soon as he is settled"

Gibbs shook the doctors hand and sat back down next to Ziva.

"Hey, Tony is a fighter. They gave him worse odds when he had the plague and he fought that. He's got you and the baby to fight for Ziva, he won't give up"

"I have been waiting for this to happen. Everything was going so well. I am going to lose him Gibbs"

"If you carry on talking like that then you will. You gotta be positive Ziva"

A couple of hours later, and Ziva was sitting next to Tonys bed. He was surrounded by tubes and machines, and Ziva realised how hard it must have been for Tony, when she had been shot by her father. Gibbs entered the room and gently told Ziva that visiting times were over.

"Can you just give me a minute please Gibbs" Ziva replied.

"Sure Ziver, I'll be outside"

"Tony, I don't know if you can hear me, if you can, you know that I have just used a contraption, or whatever it is you call them. I need you to come back to me Tony. I cannot do this by myself. We need you, please don't leave us" Ziva reached into her bag and pulled out a tiny baby gro. She laid it on top of Tony's chest and read the slogan out loud before leaving the room in tears.

_"I love you daddy"_

**Aw! Drama! Please tell me what you thought, a little review goes a long long way :)**


	16. You Missed Me

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks so much for all the reviews - lets get to a hundred :) :) :)**

**Chapter Sixteen - You Missed Me**

It had been two days since Tonys accident, and he had still not woken up. He was no longer sedated or ventilated, he was just being stubborn, as Gibbs described it. He had been moved to a regular room, and Ziva had hardly left his bedside. She was a wreck. Gibbs thought that was the polite way to describe her. She had hardly slept, had not eaten and basically was not looking after herself at all. Gibbs had made her go to the emergency department the previous night when she had all but collapsed into a chair whilst visiting Tony. Her blood pressure was a little elevated, but everything was fine with the baby.

Gibbs looked at the sleeping form on his couch. He had practically had to half drag Ziva from the hospital and had brought her back to his house so he could ensure that she would at least have something to eat and perhaps get some sleep. He had forced a bowl of soup into her, and Ducky had provided him with a sleeping tablet that he had slipped into her cup of tea. It had only taken a short while to take effect, and now she was snoring in his living room. Gibbs tucked a blanket around her and kissed her on the forehead.

The next morning, Gibbs was surprised to see Ziva still fast asleep on the couch. He had to check she was still breathing, but was reassured when another loud snort came from her. Gibbs laughed to himself, he couldn't understand how someone so small, could snore so loudly. He decided to phone Ducky and check that is was alright for Ziva to be sleeping for so long.

"Hey Duck, that sleeping pill worked wonders, she slept all night. She's still sleeping now actually, is that normal?"

"Ah Jethro, it just shows how tired our Ziva was. I would probably try and wake her soon, she is going to feel a little groggy this morning, but that's nothing a good breakfast and cup of tea won't cure"

"Thanks Duck"

Gibbs hung up the phone and walked over to Ziva. He was unsure as to how to wake a sleeping Ziva, as he knew that she could be quite jumpy. He saw her sig tucked under the pillow and decided that he would try and wake her as gently as possible. He rocked her shoulder a little and called her name. Ziva jumped off the couch and shouted "Tony!".

"Calm down Ziver, it's me" Gibbs guided her into the kitchen and sat her down at the table. He placed a bowl of cereal in front of her and instructed her to eat.

"How long was I asleep for? Have you heard from the hospital?" Ziva said in between mouthfuls.

"Slow down Ziver. You slept all night, you needed the rest. No I haven't called them yet, I want you to have breakfast, take a shower and then I will drive you over there"

"I do not understand how I slept all night, I have not been able to sleep without Tony next to me"

"Ducky gave me a sleeping pill, I put it in your tea. Before you get mad Ziva, I was worried about you, we all were. You were not taking care of yourself and that means you were not taking care of your daughter"

"I am not mad Gibbs, I do feel better for it, and I promised myself a little while ago that I would do everything in my power to protect this baby. I have let her down"

"Stop beating yourself up Ziva. You know what you have to do to look after yourself, and that's what you're gonna do from now on"

"Ok"

After a quick shower, they left for the hospital. Once there, Ziva went in by herself whilst Gibbs phoned McGee to make sure there was nothing to be done in the office. Ziva made her way up to Tony's room, and greeted the nurses with a smile. They seemed extra excited this morning, and Ziva was not sure how they could all be so happy. She pushed the door open and was greeted by the scene of her husband sitting up in bed, eating breakfast, and looking remarkable healthy.

"Tony!" Ziva cried out, and ran over to the bed. She engulfed him in a big hug and began to cry. The nurses had watched this reunion and they all cheered as Tony and Ziva hugged.

"Sweetcheeks, don't cry. I'm fine, a little sore, but I'm fine"

"I'm sorry, I have been so worried. You have been unconscious for two days! You promised you would never leave me Tony" Ziva continued to cry.

"Hey, all that matters is that I'm alright. Is the baby ok, you have been looking after yourself haven't you?"

"I have not, but Gibbs has. Oh Tony, we missed you so much"

"Well, you have only got to survive one more night without me. The doctor said I can go home tomorrow"

"I love you" Ziva hugged him again and smiled at Gibbs as he walked through the door. He walked over to the bed and gave Tony a gentle headslap, before winking at Ziva.

"Hey! What was that for?" Tony asked, rubbing his head.

"For letting your wife worry about that head of yours. Ziva, can you grab me some coffee please?"

Gibbs waited until Ziva had left the room before sitting on the chair next to the bed.

"Everything ok Boss?"

"Ziva was a wreck whilst you've been in here. I had to slip her a sleeping tablet last night so she would finally get some rest. She refused to eat, sleep, even shower. It made me realise how much you mean to her Tony, and how safe you have made her feel. She couldn't function without you. I wanted to tell you that I'm proud of you. Your daughter is going to be very lucky"

"Thanks Boss, and thank-you for looking after Ziva. She means the world to me"

The next day, Tony was discharged, and Ziva was happy to have him back at home.

"Are you alright Sweetcheeks?" Tony asked as he snuggled next to Ziva on the couch.

"I am fine Tony. I am just so grateful that you are sitting next to me right now. When the doctor told me that you might die, I lost all will to live myself. I feel guilty that I did not look after our baby. I'm sorry"

"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for Ziva. I know I would be the same if the roles were reversed. The baby is fine, and so am I. We all are. And that's the way it is going to stay from now on"

"You are not allowed to make any more promises Tony"

"Alright, let's just take one day as it comes then. Starting with today" Tony kissed Ziva, and then picked her up from the couch and carried her into the bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and began to unbutton her shirt. Ziva smirked at him and then placed her hands over his, preventing him from removing her clothing.

"What do you think you are doing Tony?"

"You said you missed me!"

"That I did my hairy little butt. That I did!"

And all you could hear was laughter from the bedroom for the next couple of hours.

**See, a little bit of drama gets replaced by some Tiva love :) Now please leave a little message for me :)**


	17. Never Running Smoothly

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Oh it's about to get more exciting! Thanks for the reviews :)**

**Chapter Seventeen - Never Running Smoothly**

The next few weeks went by with no dramas. Tony had recovered from his head injury and had returned to week a few weeks previously. Ziva was now thirty weeks pregnant and was enjoying her baby bump. She had been quite slow to start showing, but the bump had grown with a vengeance over the last two weeks and she now resembled a duck as she walked. Tony, of course, had laughed at her quite a few times, but he had picked his moments so as not to upset Ziva as she was still quite sensitive at times. She had begun to have trouble sleeping as she found it difficult to get comfortable. She was used to half sleeping on her stomach, which was now impossible, and she had become increasingly frustrated. Ziva did not like to admit it, but she was finding it very tiring getting up for work every day. She loved her job, and certainly did not want to be sitting around at home all day waiting for the baby to arrive, but she was exhausted by the end of the day. Morning sickness had still not quite left her either, and Tony really felt for her as she brought up her breakfast or lunch most days, or in a bad case, both. In a nutshell, Ziva was feeling pretty miserable, but she was also incredibly excited, and today, they were going shopping to buy some final bits for the baby. Tony had been busy decorating the nursery, and Ziva had been stunned when she had seen it. The walls were painted in a light pink, and Tony had stenciled teddy bears all round the room. Gibbs had hand crafted the cot, and a chest of drawers. In a word, it was beautiful.

"Are you ready to go Ziva?" Tony shouted, patiently waiting for his wife to come out of the bathroom. Her bladder had become very weak over the last couple of weeks and Ziva needed to go to the bathroom several times before leaving the house.

"Sorry, blame your daughter!" Ziva laughed as she followed Tony out of the front door.

"So what have we got left to buy today?" Tony asked Ziva as they entered the baby store.

"Moses basket, a pram and a baby monitor"

"Wow, so we really are nearly done then. Little D is going to be one spoilt princess"

"Of course. You would not want it any other way would you?" Ziva knew that Tony was going to be a pushover and that she was going to be the parent that did all the discipline.

"We know the pram we want don't we?"

"I actually ordered it last week so all we need to do is collect it. I would like the moses basket that we saw the last time we were here, the one with the pink checked decoration"

"Good choice. Are you ok?" Tony noticed that Ziva grimaced as she talked.

"Yes, I think I am having those braxton hicks contractions" Ziva replied, unconcerned.

"Are you sure? You don't normally show pain Ziva"

"It just took me by surprise, that is all. Stop worrying"

Tony kept a close eye on Ziva the rest of the shopping trip, but nothing further happened. They ended up buying numerous clothes and teddies for the baby, and Ziva was very happy with her purchases.

"You know, we should really start considering names for the baby Ziva" Tony said whilst they were watching a movie that evening.

"I do not think I can name the baby until she is in my arms. I know it may sound silly, but it feels like too much of a bond to name her"

"It's not silly darling, I understand. I will think of some I like, and will keep them secret until she is here. Not too long to go now!"

"I think I am going to take a bath, I am having those pains again and I think the bath will soothe them"

"You are sure that there is nothing wrong?" Tony replied, still concerned.

"I am sure"

Ziva relaxed in the bath and began talking to her baby. This was her normal routine, and she enjoyed the private time she could share with her daughter. She told her all about the nursery, and that they were ready for her to arrive now, even though it was still a while before she was due. Ziva gasped as another sharp pain shot through her abdomen. She had read all about braxton hicks and false labour, but a tiny part of her was worried. She decided that as the pains were so sporadic, everything was fine. She would call the midwife tomorrow to make sure.

It was in the middle of the night that Ziva woke up with sharp pains in the stomach. She let out a gasp as they woke her up, which in turn made Tony stir.

"You alright Sweetcheeks?" Tony replied groggily.

"I do not know. I have got a really bad pain in my stomach, ow!" Ziva cried out. Tony sat up in bed and looked at Ziva. Her face was full of strain and worry, and he could tell that something was wrong.

"Get dressed. I am going to phone the labour ward and let them know that we are coming in"

Tony drove to the hospital, whilst Ziva lay in the back seat. The pain had eased a little, but every now and then it would get stronger. Once on the labour ward, Ziva was taken to a room and a monitor was placed onto her stomach to monitor the baby.

"My name is Kathy, and I am the midwife in charge tonight. Your baby looks good at the moment, heartbeat is a little higher than normal so I am going to keep you on the monitor. I am concerned about the pain you are experiencing, and the doctor is going to come and examine you" The midwife said.

"Am I in labour?" Ziva asked, fearful of the answer.

"The pains you are experiencing do sound like the early stages of labour, but the doctor will come and see you shortly. Try to relax"

It was an hour before they were seen by the doctor, and Ziva was still having spasms of pain.

"Mr and Mrs DiNozzo, my name is Dr Banks. How long have you been experiencing this pain?"

"Since earlier today. It was mild earlier but has gradually got worse. I thought it was braxton hicks" Ziva answered.

The doctor examined Ziva and then spoke to them.

"The good news is that you are not in labour right now. But I am not convinced that these pains are not early labour pains. I think that we are looking at a pre term labour. Your baby is stable right now, but I am concerned that the heartrate is on the higher side of normal. Your blood pressure is also a little elevated. I would like to keep you in for observation, and I would like to give you some steroids that will help to mature your babys lungs in case she decides to make an early appearance"

"How likely do you think that will be?" Tony asked.

"At this moment, I don't think it will be the babys choice to arrive early, but rather, it will be our decision to deliver the baby early. The baby is showing early signs of being in distress, if this continues to worsen, then we will have to do an emergency caesarian to deliver the baby. You are also showing very early signs of pre-eclampsia, which can be very dangerous for baby and for mum. I don't want to worry you unnecessarily, but I believe you will be seeing your baby a lot earlier than you planned"

"Will the baby be alright?" Ziva asked, feeling numb.

"You are just over thirty weeks now. Your baby is almost fully developed, we will give her steroids for her lungs. Most babies that are born at this stage do very well. She will need some intensive care, and some help with breathing and feeding, but neonatal care is excellent"

"But there is a chance she could die" Ziva said.

"With every pre term labour, there is a risk for the baby, and it would be wrong of me not to highlight this. But until your baby is born, we will not know what condition she is in. Try to relax, I know this is a difficult time, but stress can make things worse for you and your baby"

The doctor smiled sympathetically and left the room. Tony sat next to Ziva on the bed and hugged her close. Once again, life was not running smoothly.

**Ooooooh what is going to happen next? Leave me a little comment, and I might just tell you ;) Pretty please x**


	18. Bad News

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Wow, I can't believe I am close to 100 reviews, that is amazing and I thank each and every one of you who has left a comment. **

**Chapter Eighteen - Bad News**

Ziva had been in the hospital for just under two weeks now. She was now thirty-two weeks pregnant, and although her pains had stopped, she was still showing signs of early labour and was not allowed to be discharged home. Of course this was like torture to Ziva and she was becoming increasingly bored. Tony had been at the hospital with her constantly for the first couple of days, but had now gone back to work. He was on standby just in case of any emergencies involving Ziva or the baby.

"Good morning Ziva, how are you feeling today?" The Doctor said as she entered the room.

"Bored. I do have a bit of a headache this morning, and my ankles look a little puffier than normal"

"Ok, let's do your blood pressure and see what that is doing"

Ziva watched as the doctor did some checks, and noticed that she was frowning.

"Is everything alright?" Ziva asked.

"Your blood pressure is quite elevated this morning, this would explain your headache. Along with the puffiness, I'm afraid that you are suffering with pre eclampsia. I know we have mentioned this before, but things seemed to have settled. It looks like things might be taking a turn for the worst. I am going to see how the baby is doing, but I think we might be looking at delivering her today Ziva"

"But it is too early! I can hold on longer, I have held on this long. Please do not do this today!" Ziva cried.

"Ziva, I know how hard this is for you, and believe me, I don't want to deliver your baby any earlier than I have to. But your condition is worsening, which has an impact on the babys health. If I let the pre eclampsia get worse, we could lose you and the baby. This is not a risk I am willing to take"

"I understand. What will happen now?" Ziva asked as the monitor was placed on her stomach. The sound of her babys heartbeat filled the room, and Ziva took comfort in that.

"Your baby still looks good Ziva, and that is another reason to get her out now. I am going to schedule you for a caesarian this afternoon. It needs to be done in a calm way, not as an emergency. We will have the neonatal team there to take care of the baby. As you know, she will need to go to the neonatal unit after she is born as she will need some intensive care. Babies born at this gestation do very well Ziva"

"I need to phone my husband"

"Alright. I am going to leave the monitor on you for now Ziva. I want to keep a close eye on your blood pressure. I will get you some paracetamol for your headache. Please let someone know if you are feeling worse. Pre eclampsia can progress quickly Ziva, I need you to be honest"

"I will. Thank-you"

Ziva waited until the doctor had left the room and then picked up the phone to give Tony the news they had both been dreading.

Tony was sitting in the ballpen looking through some cold cases. Since he was not going into the field at the moment, due to Ziva, Gibbs had given him two boxes of cases to sift through. He was as bored as he imagined Ziva was. His phone rang and he looked at the caller id - Ziva.

"Hey Sweetcheeks, how are my two favourite girls doing?"

"Tony, you need to get here. They are going to deliver today, I need you" Ziva sobbed down the phone.

"Alright, I'm on my way Ziva. Hold on" Tony hung up the phone and raced out of the office. He met McGee and Gibbs in the elevator and explained what was going on, even though he hardly knew himself. To put it mildly, he was worried. For the last two weeks, he had lived in fear of his daughter being born prematurely. Now Ziva had got this far, he had hoped that everything would be ok. But obviously the baby had other ideas.

Ziva had just stopped crying when Tony got to the hospital. Her headache was worse despite the paracetamol, but Ziva put that down to the amount that had been crying. Tony ran up to her and engulfed her in a hug.

"What's happened this morning?" He asked.

"My blood pressure is elevated, and I have more symptoms of pre eclampsia. Apparantely, if they do not deliver the baby today, it will only get worse and both me and the baby could die"

"Oh God, tell me this isn't happening" Tony rubbed his head with his hands, trying to take in the information.

"Tony, I am not going to die, neither is this baby. That is why they are delivering today"

The next couple of hours were spent coming to terms with the fact that they were going to become parents today. A loud beeping noise suddenly filled the room. A nurse came in and looked at the monitor. She pressed the call button and within a couple of minutes the room was filled with people.

"Tony, I do not feel so good" Ziva said. Tony looked down at his wife and noticed her pale, sweaty complexion. His heart was filled with horror as she collapsed against the pillows.

"What the hell is going on?" Tony yelled.

"Sir, your wife's blood pressure is extremely high, which has caused her to faint. We are going to take her straight to theatre and deliver your baby now.  
>The nurse will get you some scrubs and you can come in and be with her"<p>

Tony nodded and looked down at Ziva who was still unconscious. Another monitor started to bleep.

"Baby's heartrate is dropping! Move her to theatre now!"

Tony watched as Ziva was rushed into theatre on her bed. A pair of scrubs were thrust into his arms and he began to pull them on. All he could think in his head was _"Please let them be ok, please let them be ok"._

**So the next chapter will be the birth! SO looking forward to that one, and don't worry, I love the tiva baby very much and wouldn't let anything happen to it...would I? You'll have to wait and find out. Please leave a little comment and get this story to 100 reviews! :)**


	19. The Birth

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - WOW! Thank-you so so much for all the lovely reviews, and for getting them to over 100. That is just amazing and I really do appreciate it. So here we are, the one you've all been waiting for, I hope it was worth it :)**

**Chapter Nineteen - The Birth**

Tony was about to change into his scrubs when a theatre nurse entered the room.

"The anaesthetist has decided that it will be safer to give Ziva a general anaesthetic as there is not time to safely give her an epidural. The baby needs to be delivered immediately. This means that you won't be able to go in with her. I will be in there with Ziva and I will come and let you know as soon as your daughter is born"

"Ok" Tony managed to say. He was feeling numb. This was supposed to be the happiest time of his life, and instead he had to wait outside the theatre whilst Ziva was alone giving birth to their child. He knew that she wasn't awake or aware of what was happening, but he also knew that she would be upset that he hadn't been there.

Tony only had to wait about fifteen minutes before the same nurse walked through the door.

"Congratulations Mr DiNozzo, you just became a father!"

"Wow, I have dreamed of this moment for so long. How are they both? Please tell me they're alright?" Tony jumped up, anxious to be with Ziva.

"I'll start with your daughter. She was born in good condition, she managed a weak cry straight after she was born. Due to her being so early, she isn't able to remain breathing for herself so she is on a ventilator. She has been moved to the neonatal unit and once she is settled you can go and be with her. She looks really good" The nurse smiled.

"That's fantastic. What about Ziva?"

"Ziva lost quite a bit of blood during the delivery, we are giving her a blood transfusion and they are just stitching her up. Her blood pressure has fallen quite dramatically, which is partly because the baby has been delivered and also because of blood loss. She should be moved to recovery in the next half an hour"

"Will she be alright?" Tony asked, worried.

"She will be feeling quite weak for a while, and she will have a lot of discomfort. We will be keeping a close eye on her, but she should be fine"

"Thank-you so much" Tony replied, relieved that it looked like his family were going to be alright. He knew that it was going to be a long road though. He decided to call Gibbs to let him know the news, and asked him to let everyone else know. Gibbs congratulated him, and asked him to give Ziva a kiss from him. Tony was given strict instructions to look after Ziva, which of course Tony was already going to do.

Tony had started to pace the room when Ziva was wheeled back in. She appeared to be asleep, and looked quite pale. Tony's stomach rolled when he saw the bag of blood draining into her arm.

"Mr DiNozzo, everything went very well. As you know, Ziva lost a lot of blood which is being replaced now. Her blood pressure is now stabilising and she should be awake soon. She has a catheter in situ and she will feel quite groggy when she wakes up. You have a lovely daughter, you should be able to see her soon" The doctor stated. Tony said thank-you and shook his hand. He then took his seat next to Ziva's bed and held her hand.

"You're so brave Ziva, I'm so proud of you. Just have a little rest and when you wake up I'll be able to tell you all about our gorgeous baby girl" Tony whispered softly. He was interrupted when a nurse walked into the room.

"Mr DiNozzo? My name is Rachel, and I am one of the neonatal intensive care nurses. Would you like to come and see your daughter?"

"Yes!" Tony leapt up. He followed the nurse out of Ziva's room, but not before placing a kiss on her forehead and promising her he would be back soon.

It was a short walk to the NICU as it was connected to the delivery ward. Tony was asked to wash his hands thoroughly before entering the intensive care room. He walked past a line of incubators and was taken to the corner of the room.

"Here she is" Rachel said.

Tony looked into the incubator and his throat started to close up with the emotion of seeing his baby for the first time. She was asleep, and had tubes and wires coming out of her everywhere. She had a nappy on and was covered by a thin blanket. Tony was very nervous about all the noises surrounding her.

"She is doing very well. She weighed in at 3lbs 4oz. She is on the ventilator at the moment, but she is needed very little pressure, so we think possibly tomorrow we will be able to move her onto another type of breathing support called CPAP"

"What's that?" Tony asked, trying to take everything in for Ziva's sake.

"It stands for continuous positive airway pressure. Basically, where her lungs are underdeveloped, they need a little boost with every breath she takes to gain enough oxygen. The CPAP delivers a continious pressure of oxygen to keep her lungs open. It is less invasive than ventilation"

"Is she in any pain?"

"No, we are giving her medications through a line in her umbilicus that will keep her asleep and pain free. This is also giving her some fluids to stop her from becoming dehydrated. We will probably start to give her some milk tomorrow, which will be fed through the tube in her mouth. This goes straight into her tummy. Is your wife planning to breast feed?"

"Yes, she wants to. Is that possible now though?"

"Of course. She will need to start expressing some milk, which we can then start to give to baby. She will only need very small amounts to start with. I know this is a very frightening time and there is a lot of information to take on board. Basically, your daughter is doing very well. Have you thought of any names yet?"

"We have got a couple in mind, but I need to check with Ziva before I can name her. Can I touch her?"

"Yes, you can put your hands through these little port holes and hold her hand. Sometimes when babies are this small, they don't like being touched, but I have a feeling that your baby is a little fighter" Rachel said.

"She sure is, just like her mum"

Tony stayed on the unit for an hour, holding on to his daughters hand. He couldn't believe how small she was. although he knew she was probably a lot bigger than a lot of the babies in there. Rachel brought him some photos they had taken of her which he could take down to Ziva.

"I am going to go back and see my wife now, can I come back later?" Tony asked.

"You can come back anytime, there are no visiting restrictions for parents"

"Thank-you for looking after her. Good-bye princess, daddy loves you" Tony took a long look at his little girl and then made his way back down to Ziva. She was still asleep when he got there, which Tony was relieved about. He was worried that she was going to wake up alone. He stroked her hair and smiled as she started to open her eyes.

"Hey Sweetcheeks, welcome back" Tony kissed her on the cheek.

"What happened?" Ziva asked, clearly still dazed from the anaesthetic.

"Your blood pressure went extremely high, you passed out and had to have an emergency c-section under general anaesthetic" Tony started to explain, watching Ziva with concern as her eyes got wider and wider.

"The baby's here? How is she, is she ok? Oh please tell me she's ok?" Ziva started to hyperventilate which set off the monitor she was attached to.

"Ziva, calm down sweetie. We have a beautiful baby girl and she is doing really well". Tony went on to explain about everything Rachel had told him, and re-inforced several times that their baby was alright. He then took the photos out of his pocket and gave them to Ziva.

"She is so small, but she is beautiful" Ziva started to cry. Tony hugged her tightly.

"Hey, she's a little fighter, the nurse told me that herself. She asked me about names for her"

"We do have a name that we like yes?"

"If it's the same one we talked about last week, then yes" Tony agreed.

Ziva held up the picture and kissed it.

"Welcome to the world Esther Hope DiNozzo"

**So, what did you think. I hope I did it justice. Please leave a little comment :)**


	20. Life is Good

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks for the reviews/alerts! This will be the last update until the new year. Enjoy :)**

**Chapter Twenty - Life is Good**

It had been a long night and Tony was exhausted by the morning. Normally, partners were not allowed to stay on the post natal ward, but Tony and Ziva's circumstances meant that the staff had allowed Tony to stay. They had given him a comfortable chair and a blanket, but he had not managed to sleep well. Ziva had been in quite a bit of pain through the night, and she kept having nightmares that she had lost the baby. Every time, she had woken up screaming and with tears in her eyes, and it had taken a long time for Tony to calm her down and show her the pictures of Esther to prove that their baby was alive and well. Tony had made a couple of trips to the neonatal unit to sit with his daughter. She was continuing to do well and the nurses were certain that she would be moved onto the CPAP today.

Tony woke up from a short nap and noticed that Ziva's brown eyes were staring at him.

"Hey sweetcheeks, you had a rough night, how you feeling?"

"Exhausted and sore, but very happy. I am sorry for last night Tony, I know you got no sleep"

"Hey, that's what I'm here for. Besides, we've got to get used to this, once Esther gets home, I'm sure neither of us will get any sleep!"

"I want to see her, it is so hard knowing that she is just around the corner and I haven't even seen her yet" Ziva began to cry. The nurses had warned Tony that the next few days would see Ziva becoming very emotional as her hormones began to settle.

"I will talk to the nurses today, hopefully you'll be able to go in a wheelchair. Please don't cry Ziva"

"It is easy for you to say, you can go whenever you like!" Ziva shouted.

"I know Ziva, I know. But at least Esther is not on her own ok?"

"I am being an awful wife yes?"

"No, Ziva you are being the most wonderful, beautiful, brave wife. I wouldn't want you any other way" Tony kissed her.

The door opened and both Ziva's doctor and midwife entered.

"Good morning, how are you feeling this morning Ziva?"

"Morning. I am very tired and a bit sore, and I am desperate to see my daughter" Ziva replied.

"Alright. I will prescribe you some more pain medication, and we will remove the catheter today. I want to check your blood results and then if, and only if, you are feeling well enough, we will get you to the neonatal unit in a chair. I don't want to see you mobilising much today Ziva. You need to take it easy. The good news is your blood pressure is now back to normal"

"Thank-you" Ziva was now excited at the prospect of going to see her daughter for the first time. Her arms ached to hold her, and her heart was torn at the seperation.

A couple of hours later and Ziva was on her way to the neonatal unit. Her catheter had been removed, which Ziva was very pleased about. She had struggled to get out of bed a little, and had felt a little faint, but she hadn't told either the midwife, or Tony that. Nothing was going to jeapordize her first meeting with her baby girl. Ziva was pushed into the NICU, and into the room where her daughter was. She washed her hands and then was pushed over to the incubator. Ziva looked inside and immediately burst into tears. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but seeing her baby with wires and tubes coming out of her was a shock. She had seen it all in the photos, but seeing it for real was heartbreaking.

"Hi Mrs DiNozzo, my name is Rachel and I am looking after Esther today. I was here yesterday when she was born"

"Please, call me Ziva. How is my angel doing?"

"Very well. We changed her over to the CPAP this morning, and so far she is tolerating it very well. Occasionally babies can go backwards and need ventilating again, but Esther appears to be very strong. We want to start giving her small amounts of milk today, so we need you to start expressing if that's ok?"

"Yes, that is fine. Can I hold her?"

"At the moment, she is a bit too fragile to hold, only because we have only just put her onto the CPAP. By this evening, if she is still doing so well, you can definately have a cuddle. I will leave you both alone for a while" Rachel smiled at Tony and then left the couple.

"So, what do you think Ziva?"

"She's beautiful. So small yet so perfect. I never knew how much love you could have for a child, but I love her so much. I just wish I could have carried her all the way and saved her from all this" Ziva began to cry again.

"Hey, please don't blame yourself Ziva. You did everything you could to hold her in for as long as possible. You are going to be the best mother, and this little girl is going to be so loved"

"Thank-you Tony. I love you"

Ziva sat at the incubator, holding Esther's hand and she was loving spending time with her. She was in pain, and was feeling increasingly tired, but she was determined to stay with Esther for as long as possible. Tony, however, had noticed his wife looking pale again, and he wanted to get her back to her bed. He knew she wouldn't be pleased, but he knew it was his responsibility to look after her.

"Ziva, we have to get you back now, you need to rest"

"I am not leaving yet Tony, I need to be with her"

"You need to look after yourself, you're in pain and you're exhausted. I know you too well Ziva. Besides, they need you to express some milk for Esther and you can't do that here"

"Alright, but we can come back later yes?"

"Of course, it's cuddle time tonight" Tony replied.

Ziva placed a kiss from her lips onto her fingers, and then carressed Esthers arm with them.

"Be good my darling, mummy will come and see you later. I love you so much"

Ziva had to brush tears away from her cheeks during the journey back to the ward. She wouldn't ever say so, but she was grateful to get back to her bed.  
>Tony asked the nurses for some pain relief and then stroked Ziva's head until she drifted off to sleep. Tony couldn't help but smile when he saw Ziva smiling in her sleep. He hoped that she would finally get some well earned rest. Tony wrapped himself in his blanket and closed his eyes. The DiNozzo family were all asleep, and all well. Life was good.<p>

**So things are looking up for Tony and Ziva and little Esther :) Please leave a little comment and have a merry Christmas! :) x**


	21. Leaving

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thanks for all the reviews and support, may it continue!**

**Chapter Twenty-One - Leaving**

Ziva was nervous. She was about to hold her daughter for the first time, and she was extremely nervous. This was not what a first cuddle should be like, having to worry about wires and tubes falling out, and if your daughter would even tolerate the touch. Ziva watched as the nurses began to prepare Esther to meet her mummy.

"Ok Ziva, what we need you to do is unbutton your top a little. We like to promote kangaroo care in this unit, which basically means skin to skin contact. We find the babies seem to tolerate this very well, and it helps to keep them nice and warm whilst they're out of the incubator" One of the nurses explained.

Ziva followed instructions, and then gasped with pleasure as her tiny daughter was placed on her chest. The nurses showed Ziva how to support Esther and soon both mother and baby were very comfortable with each other. Tony grinned at Ziva as she watched Esther sleep. He took some photos and tried not to feel too jealous about not getting the first cuddle. He knew how important it was to Ziva and he was enjoying watching his wife look the happiest she had for a long time.

Ziva was enjoying her cuddle immensely. She sang to Esther very quietly in hebrew and said a quick prayer that Esther would always be looked after and loved. All too soon it was over and Ziva's heart sank as she watched Esther back in the incubator.

"I know it wasn't for long, but she tolerated that really well. Her oxygen levels are being weaned right down and she has tolerated her first bits of your milk"

"That is very good to know. She is our little fighter" Ziva replied, tears in her eyes.

"You alright Ziva?" Tony asked.

"It is just so hard. I want to be able to hold her whenever I like, and be able to feed her myself. It is not fair!" Ziva began to cry.

"I know Sweetcheeks, but she is doing really well, and the more we leave her to do this, the quicker she will be ours forever"

"You are right of course, I just am finding it very hard"

"What you are feeling Ziva, are completely normal thoughts. After the birth, your hormones are all over the place which doesn't help. How about tomorrow when you come and visit, we teach you how to do her nappy and give her a top and tail?" The nurse suggested.

"That sounds wonderful, thank-you"

Tony and Ziva said good night to Esther and made their way back to Ziva's room. Ziva was getting fed up of being pushed around in a wheelchair, but neither Tony or the doctors would let her mobilise yet. Tony helped her back into her bed and kissed her on the forehead.

"You are doing really well Ziva. Tomorrow, you will be able to walk and then you will be able to come home"

"I am dreading that moment Tony. I cannot imagine leaving here without my baby"

"I know, it will be really hard, but she is being looked after really well"

Two days had passed, and Ziva was now doing much better. She was able to walk now, although her pace was very slow. The day had come that she was dreading. She had been discharged and was facing having to leave without her daughter. Esther was still improving day by day. She was now cycling on the CPAP which meant that every six hours, she had an hour off. During this time, Ziva and Tony were able to give her a wash and give her plenty of cuddles.  
>She was off the fluids that ran through her IV line, and was tolerating hourly milk feeds through the orogastric tube.<p>

"Oh baby girl, I do not know how I am going to leave you behind" Ziva said as she enjoyed a cuddle. Tony had had the first cuddle, and now it was Ziva's turn. Esther had a nasal cannula on which carried oxygen whilst she was off the CPAP.

"She will be fine Ziva. We will look after her really well, and we have your numbers should we need to contact you. Now, I'm afraid her hour is up and she needs to go back on CPAP now" The nurse said.

"Bye bye my darling Esther. Mummy and daddy love you very much. We will be back this evening to see you"

Tony planted a kiss on Esthers head before she was placed back in the incubator. He put his arm around Ziva and they walked out of the unit together. Tony had already taken Ziva's bags to the car and so they headed straight home. Tony got Ziva settled on the couch as he made her a cup of tea. He was worried about how she was going to cope with the seperation.

"I want to go back Tony" Ziva said suddenly.

"We will Ziva, tonight"

"No, I need to go back now, I feel like something is wrong!" Ziva began to cry again.

"Hey, come on Ziva. Everything is fine, if it wasn't, they would call us. You need to drink this tea and then get some rest. You're still recovering remember?"

"I am sorry Tony. I am not making this very easy for you am I?"

"It's ok. I haven't got all the hormones to deal with, I have no idea how you must feel. I miss her too Ziva, but I have got something to show you"

Tony grabbed Ziva by the hand and led her to the nursery. On the wall was a blown up picture of Ziva cuddling Esther for the first time.

"Tony, it is wonderful, but how did you manage to do this?"

"I sent the picture to McGee and asked him to get it blown up. He told me had had framed it and put it up for us. Now everytime you feel worried or scared, you can look up at her and know that she has got the most caring and loving mother in the world"

"Have I ever told you that I love you?" Ziva replied, tears in her eyes.

"A few times. I love you too, and I love our little baby girl"

Tony held on to Ziva as she let out her emotions. Once she had stopped, he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. They cuddled up together and fell asleep.

**Will it stay so good, or is something around the corner to test the DiNozzos once again? Only I know, and if you want to find out then please leave a little review :)**


	22. The Beginning

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Oh I just love writing this so much and I really love all the wonderful reviews you have all given me so far. This story might go on forever :)**

**Chapter Twenty-Two - The Beginning**

It had been two weeks since Ziva had been discharged. She had almost healed from her caesarian, and was able to move around with ease. She still felt the odd twinge of pain but all in all she felt a lot better. Well, that was physically at least. Emotionally, she was still all over the place. Sometimes she would feel really positive and other days she would cry. She knew how hard it must be for Tony, and she tried to keep the crying to when he was at work.  
>Tony only got two weeks of paternity leave, and he had decided to use it when Esther came home from the hospital. He was only doing part time hours at the moment, and it was all desk work, but he hated leaving Ziva behind to cope with everything. She was still unable to drive following her caesarian so he would normally drive Ziva to the hospital, go to work for a few hours, and then join Ziva and visit Esther.<p>

Esther on the other hand was thriving. She was now off the CPAP completely, and was just needing a small amount of oxygen through a cannula in her nose. She was now out of intensive care and in the special care baby unit. The room they called the feeding and growing room. Ziva was so proud of her daughter. She had such a fighting spirit, and she also had quite a temper on her. She was starting to wake around her feed times, and she liked to let the whole room know that she was hungry. She was still being fed by a tube as she wasn't strong enough to feed from Ziva just yet.

"Morning Sweetcheeks" Tony rolled over and kissed his wife. He could see from Ziva's eyes that she was still tired and so he suggested that she stay in bed seeing as it was saturday and he didn't have to go to work.

"No, I am alright, I want to go to the hospital as soon as possible. The nurse said I might be able to feed Esther today and I am excited"

"That's wonderful. Did you express more milk last night?"

"Have you seen the freezer Tony? We barely have room for food let alone my milk! That's why I need to get going, I am full and need to express a little before going to see Esther. It is not good for me to be full as the milk may drown her" Ziva replied, laughing at Tony's face.

"Well I'm gonna leave you to do what you need to do and I'll make us breakfast"

"Deal" Ziva grabbed her expressing kit and Esthers blanket. It was the blanket that had been used to cover Esther in the early days and it had the scent of her on it still. This helped Ziva to produce the milk she needed to feed her baby girl. It didn't take long and Ziva soon joined Tony in the kitchen.

"Mmmmm, something smells very nice in here" Ziva wrapped her arms around her husband.

"Eggs, muffins and tea for the lady" Tony replied and served breakfast at the table. The food didn't last long as they were both starving.

"Thank-you Tony, that was wonderful. I really do not know what I would do without you"

"That's why we are perfect because I feel exactly the same way about you"

"Shower?" Ziva asked. She knew she had been neglecting Tony recently, what with her worrying constantly about Esther and him being at work, and so she decided that they had a little time for some fun this morning.

"Sure thing Sweetcheeks" Tony replied with a grin as he followed his wife to the bathroom.

An hour later and they were walking into the neonatal unit. They walked towards the Special Care part and washed their hands. Ziva walked through the door first and her heart sank as she looked around the room.

"What's wrong Ziva?" Tony asked.

"There are no incubators in here Tony. Something must have happened with Esther!" Ziva began to panic.

"Excuse me, Ziva. Esther is fine, we moved her into a cot today as she has been doing so well with her body temperature. She's over here" Claire, one of the nurses explained. Tony reached out and squeezed Ziva's hand to give her reassurance.

Ziva walked over to the cot and gasped as she looked inside. Esther was wrapped in about three pink blankets, but she looked more and more like a 'normal' baby everyday.

"Oh you look wonderful my baby girl. Mummy and daddy are so proud of you my darling" Ziva pressed her lips against her daughters cheek and smiled as Esther wriggled in acknowledgement.

"Right Ziva, are you ready to try a feed with your little one?" Claire asked.

"I have been excited about this all morning!" Ziva replied as she settled into the chair. Tony was still gazing down at Esther.

"Are you alright Tony?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah, I just cannot believe that she is ours sometimes. She is so beautiful" Tony also kissed Esther.

"Stop it, you will make me cry and I need to concentrate" Ziva tried to tell Tony off, but secretly, she too could not believe that Esther was their baby.

The nurse settled Esther into Ziva's arms and Ziva began to feed her.

"Wow, she's a quick learner!" The nurse exclaimed as Esther latched on straight away and began to suck.

"She's a DiNozzo, of course she eats well!" Ziva laughed.

The feed didn't last for long as Esther soon got tired, but Ziva felt happy with the progress they were making.

"We'll try another feed tomorrow, and as soon as she starts taking a whole feed, we can increase the amount of times you feed her. Does that sound alright?" Claire explained.

"That sounds lovely, thank-you so much" Ziva and Tony replied. They spend the rest of the morning giving Esther a wash and changing her clothes. Tony suggested to Ziva that they go and visit some of their co-workers for lunch and to his amazement she agreed.

"As much as it hurts me to leave Esther, it has been a long time since I have seen the team and I really need to see everyone. Besides, we have some gorgeous pictures to show them!" Ziva replied.

"We will come back tonight and give her a good night kiss Ziva. Besides, it's quiet time in the nursery for the next couple of hours and our baby girl needs some sleep" Tony reasoned.

"Come on then, let's go" Tony and Ziva thanked the nurses and walked out of the nursery. Ziva was always a bit quiet at this point, she always hated leaving Esther behind and that had never got any easier. Tony had told her that it meant the bond between them was very strong which had made Ziva cry.  
>He had explained that that was supposed to be a good thing, Ziva had laughed and replied that she knew that and it was a beautiful thing to say.<p>

"So, who do you wanna go see first?"

"Actually, I would like to go home and spend some time with my lovely husband if that's ok? We can phone everybody and we can meet them all for lunch tomorrow altogether. I feel like with all the time I spend at the hospital and the time you are at work, we hardly see each other by ourselves anymore"

"I would love to spend the afternoon with you my dear. A movie perhaps, or some other kind of entertainment?" Tony raised his eyebrows.

"I was thinking that we could just talk. Before long, we are going to have a screaming baby at home and we will not have time to do this. We need to make the most of it" Ziva replied.

"Come on then Sweetcheeks, let's go home"

They went home and they talked for hours. Tony spoke of his life as a child and his job in Baltimore, and Ziva talked about how much she loved her life now and some of the hardships that she had gone through as a child. The time they spent together was quality and it brought them both even closer. And later that night when they cradled their baby daughter in their arms and kissed her goodnight, they both realised that life was just beginning. And what a life it was.

**Aw, tried to make a more lighthearted chapter there. Please tell me what you think, pretty please :)**


	23. Coming Home

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - Thank-you for the wonderful reviews. Am going to move the story on a little bit, I hope you enjoy :)**

**Chapter Twenty-Three - Coming Home**

Another two weeks had passed and Esther was now almost five weeks old. She had continued to do very well and was thriving in fact. For the last two days, Ziva had been 'rooming in' at the hospital which meant that she was staying in a room alone with Esther, getting to know her daughter properly, and making sure that Esther was ready to come home. Tony had not been able to stay with them as he was working on a case. Gibbs had tried to keep Tony off field work as much as possible, but with Ziva already missing from the team, Tony was sorely needed. Every evening, Tony would drop into the hospital to spend some time with his wife and daughter.

"Hey, how are my two favourite girls?" Tony asked as he walked through the door of the hospital room. There was no answer, and Tony looked over to the bed to see Ziva lying fast asleep. Of course, she was letting out gentle snores as she breathed. Tony walked over to the cot and spent some time looking at his daughter, who was content and sleeping. He knew this had not been the case all day, as he had spoken to Ziva at lunchtime and Esther was giving her mummy a hard time.

"Hey baby girl, I think you've worn your mummy out!" Tony laughed as he kissed Esther on the cheek. He still couldn't quite believe that in a couple of days, Esther would be asleep in their bedroom at home. He walked over to the bed and slid his shoes and jacket off. He climbed onto the bed and pushed a random brown curl out of Ziva's face. This slight touch made Ziva jump and she sat up suddenly.

"Hey, Sweetcheeks, it's just me"

"Hello, sorry. It has been a very hard day" Ziva replied. Tony took the opportunity to look at Ziva properly. She looked exhausted. She had bags under her eyes and she could hardly hold her head up.

"You look so tired baby, I wish I could be here to help you more" Tony kissed Ziva on the lips.

"I am, but to be honest, unless you want to grow a pair of breasts, there is not much you could do to help"

"She still feeding a lot?"

"It just takes her a long time still. They want me to stay here a bit longer to be sure that she is feeding alright. I knew this was going to be hard, but she takes so long to settle after a feed, that by the time she finally sleeps, it is time for the next feed"

"It will get better Ziva, I promise. Once we are all at home, I will be there more. I know I can't feed her, but I can settle her down and let you get some sleep"

"I know, I should not be feeling like this, this should be a happy time" Ziva replied, She felt ashamed of herself. She wanted to enjoy every moment of Esther, but she was just so tired.

"Ziva, this is completely normal. You are probably not sleeping that well as you are not at home either which doesn't help"

"I do miss you in the bed, even if you do take up most of the room!"

"And I miss you Sweetcheeks, snoring and all. Hang in there. I'm really sorry to leave you, but Gibbs wants us back in the office at 06:00"

"What time is it now?" Ziva asked. She had lost track of time.

"Just gone 23:00. Make sure you try and get some rest"

"Tell that to her!" Ziva pointed to the cot, where the start of a cry could be heard.

Tony walked over to the cot and looked down at Esther. She was screwing up her face and Tony knew that she would be screaming very soon. Ziva walked up next to him and sighed.

"Are you hungry again little one? You are going to drain your mother of milk!" Ziva lifted Esther out and began to sing to her. Tony watched his wife as she smiled at their daughter as if it was the first time she had seen her.

"Can I have a cuddle before I go?" Tony asked.

"You can change her nappy if you like!" Ziva replied, laughing.

"Of course I will" Tony took Esther from Ziva and cuddled her for a few minutes. He then laid her down on the changing mat on the bed and changed her nappy.

"There you go princess. Now you can go back to mummy and she'll give you what you really want" Tony watched as Ziva settled her daughter and began to feed her. She looked up at Tony and smiled. Even though she was tired, she was still the most beautiful woman Tony had ever seen. His heart ached to stay with Ziva.

"I'm just going to make a call, I'll be back" Tony said as he slipped out of the room. Ziva was a little confused, but as she watched her daughter feed, she felt complete.

Tony dialled Gibbs' number. He knew he might regret this, but Ziva needed him.

"Gibbs"

"Hey Boss. Look, I'm at the hospital and Ziva really isn't doing that well. She is really tired and I don't think I can leave her tonight. Is there any chance I can come in late tomorrow?"

"Not ideal DiNozzo, we've got a case if you remember"

"I know Boss, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I'll see you at 06:00"

"You really gonna give up that easily DiNozzo? Your daughter will have you wrapped around your finger before you know it. I do not need to see you tomorrow DiNozzo"

"You sure Boss? Of course you are. Giving myself a headslap now. Thanks Boss, you've made a certain Israeli-American very happy"

Ziva looked up as Tony walked back into the room with a smile on his face.

"You look happy" Ziva observed.

"I am, because I get to spend the whole of tonight and tomorrow with my beautiful wife and daughter"

"How? I thought Gibbs needed you"

"I talked to him, said you needed me more. You need to promise me you will get some rest tonight though"

"Oh I cannot wait to sleep. Thank-you Tony, that is wonderful. I have, we have really missed you"

Tony climbed back on the bed and cuddled Ziva. Once she had finished feeding, he took Esther from her and made her go to sleep. It wasn't long before the snoring started.

"See, this is what you have got to look forward to Esther, your mummy snores bad! But she is a wonderful mummy and she loves you very much. Your daddy loves you too. You are a very special girl" Tony rocked Esther to sleep and placed her in the cot. He waited until he was sure she was going to stay asleep and then undressed. He slipped under the covers and pulled Ziva towards him.

"Is she ok?" Ziva mumbled.

"Hey, your ninja senses work when you're asleep too! She's fine. Now stop worrying and go to sleep" Tony scolded Ziva.

"You are a wonderful father too"

"Oh I know, now sleep!"

"Yes Boss"

Tony smiled as he drifted off to sleep.

The next two days passed quickly and before they knew it, Tony and Ziva had Esther loaded into a car seat and they were ready to leave.

"Here are her vitamins and iron. She will have an appointment in a couple of weeks to see how she is doing. Good-luck!" The nurse said, as she handed Ziva the medications and paperwork.

"Thank-you so much for all you have done. I cannot thank you enough. I have dreamed of this day for so long, and I never thought it would come" Ziva said, wiping tears from her cheeks.

"Esther is a remarkable little girl, very strong. And you have been a wonderful family unit to work with. Enjoy her"

"Thank-you, we will" Tony said. He picked up the car seat with one hand, and placed the other hand on Ziva's shoulder. As he walked towards the front door of the unit, he realised Ziva was not with them. She was stood staring through the doors of the neonatal intensive care unit.

"Hey, you ok?"

"So many babies do not make it out of this room Tony. We are so lucky to have our daughter" Ziva said, crying once again.

"Ziva, our daughter made it. She's here and she's ready to come home. She needs her mummy to come with us"

"I just wish that this could happen for everyone"

"Me too Sweetcheeks, me too"

Ziva turned around and joined Tony at the door. It was a place that had brought them so much joy, but it could also bring so much heartbreak. Tony and Ziva knew how fortunate they were, and they were both determined to give Esther the precious life she had fought so hard to live.

**So, baby Esther has made it home :) Please tell me what you think and what you would like to see happen now?**


	24. A Perfect Smile

**The Journey**

**Disclaimer - I Own Nothing**

**A/N - I have decided to wrap this story up since there is a decline in interest so this will be the final chapter. I have loved writing it and thanks for all the reviews and support along the way. I have another story in progress called Alternative Pyramid and I am sure that other stories will be following this one :)**

**Chapter Twenty-Four - A Perfect Smile**

It had been three months since Tony and Ziva had brought baby Esther home. They had enjoyed every moment of it, but there had been some upsets along the way.

**Flashback - One month home.**

_Esther had been unsettled all night with a cold and Ziva had not slept at all. Tony had managed to get a few hours sleep, not that he had wanted to, but Ziva had practically banished him to the bedroom. He knew that Ziva was exhausted, but she refused to leave her daughter for a moment. She had spent the night in the living room, with Esther in the moses basket, and Tony knew that Ziva wouldn't have closed her eyes for a second. He got out of bed and walked into the living room. Ziva was lying on the couch with Esther lying prone on her stomach. Tony gently lifted Esther into his arms and tried desperately to settle her quickly as she began to cry. Ziva opened her eyes and looked angrily at Tony._

_"Why did you do that? It has taken me hours to get her to go to sleep. Now I am going to have to start again!" Ziva exclaimed._

_"Woah, Ziva, I was just trying to help, just like I did last night and you wouldn't let me"_

_"She is probably hungry. Give her to me" Ziva held out her arms and watched as Tony placed Esther into them._

_"I'll make you some tea"_

_"Thank-you. Come on baby, have your feed and then you can sleep ok?" Ziva mumbled under her breath. She was exhausted. Esther had never slept particularly well since coming home from the hospital, but this was the worst sleep ever. Ziva was interrupted from her thoughts by the sound of her daughter choking._  
><em>Ziva sat Esther up and started to pat her back, but this did not help. Ziva looked at Esthers face and was shocked to see her mouth and lips tinged blue in colour.<em>

_"Tony! She's not breathing!" Ziva yelled into the kitchen where Tony was making the tea. He ran into the room and took Esther from Ziva. He started to rub Esthers back and after what felt like hours, but was only seconds, Esther took a large breath and began to scream._

_"Oh thank God. Is she alright?" Ziva cried._

_"She's breathing, but I think we should take her to the hospital to be sure" Tony replied._

_After two hours of waiting to be assessed in the hospital, Esther was admitted to the paediatric ward for observation. She ended up being diagnosed with bronchilitis, a common viral infection, and had to stay in for a week after needing oxygen and help with feeding. Ziva had been determined to stay with her daughter the whole time, until she had collapsed._

_Tony had walked into the hospital room to find Esther settled in her cot and Ziva sitting in a chair reading. It was the second day of admission and Ziva had still not slept properly. Only one parent was allowed to stay overnight, and Ziva had refused to go home._

_"Hey Sweetcheeks, how is she doing?" Tony asked, noting the dark circles under his wifes eyes._

_"A little better, they had to put her oxygen up last night, but she has been more settled since"_

_"I brought you breakfast" Tony held up a bag containing a bagel._

_"Thank-you Tony. I might grab a shower whilst you are here" Ziva got up to walk to the bathroom, and fell to the floor. The next thing she knew was that she was lying in a hospital bed with an IV in her arm._

_"What happened?" Ziva asked Tony who was sitting next to the bed._

_"You collapsed. The doctors said you were dehydrated and exhausted. You have been unconscious for 5 hours" Tony explained._

_"Is Esther alright?" Ziva started to panic. She couldn't believe she had been asleep for 5 hours._

_"She's fine. You have got to stay in overnight, you hit your head on the floor and they want to keep an eye on you. I will stay with Esther. Gibbs has given me some time off"_

_"I am fine, I do not need to stay here" Ziva tried to sit up but was met with an unpleasant nauseous feeling. She lowered herself back down onto the pillows and closed her eyes until it passed._

_"You sure about that Sweetcheeks?" Tony laughed._

_"How can you laugh at a time like this?" Ziva asked._

_"It's either that or I'll cry Ziva. My two girls are in the hospital and it's all my fault"_

_"How is it your fault?"_

_"I should have made you rest, I knew how tired you were but I let you just carry on"_

_"If anyone is to blame it is me Tony. I am a control freak with Esther, I cannot help it. But from now on, I am going to let you help"_

_"I love you Ziva"_

_Ziva was released from hospital the next day, and Esther followed home five days later._

**End of Flashback.**

Since that time, Esther had thrived. The team enjoyed watching her grow and Abby was ecstatic when she was allowed to babysit for the first time when Esther was two months old. Tony wanted to take Ziva out for a meal, and though it had taken a lot of persuasion for Ziva to leave Esther, they had a lovely evening. Abby on the other hand, had to contend with Esther crying for an hour.

**Flashback - Two months home.**

_"Come on Esther, it's Auntie Abby. You have to be good for me, because you're mummy will freak if you're not and she will never leave you alone with me like ever again and that would be like totally unfair" Abby said to Esther as she rocked her in her arms. It took an hour of singing and rocking and eventually Esther went to sleep._

_Esther was still asleep when Tony and Ziva got home, and Abby said a lot of prayers of thanks for that. Ziva came straight in and looked at her daughter in the cot. She looked so peaceful and content and Ziva still got goosebumps when she looked at her._

_"Thanks Abs, we had a lovely time" Tony said._

_"Yes, thank-you Abby. Esther looks very content, she obviously loves her Auntie"_

_"No problem guys, she was an angel. I have to go, Gibbs wants me in early tomorrow to start processing a load of new evidence. When are you coming back Ziva. We miss you" Abby said, hugging Ziva._

_"I am not yet sure. I am not ready to leave Esther just yet, I do not think I will ever be ready though"_

_"I need my partner back soon!" Tony joked._

**End of Flashback.**

And so, three months had passed, and Tony and Ziva were enjoying family life. They had tentatively started looking at nurserys for Esther for when Ziva went back to work, but everytime Tony broached the subject Ziva would cry.

"I cannot leave her Tony. What if something happens to us one day? She will be left an orphan!" Ziva cried.

"Hey, nothing is going to happen to us, I will make sure of that. Gibbs said you can come back slowly, one day a week at first and build up from there"

"I know, it is just hard Tony. I want to enjoy every moment with her, and I do not want to miss anything. What if we miss the first time she speaks, or the first time she sits up by herself? I could never forgive myself"

"Are you saying you don't want to come back?" Tony asked.

"No, I love my job and I do miss working with you all. But I love my daughter so much more, and I want to be a good mother. I do not want her to have the childhood that I had. When work becomes your priority and family comes second. I will not put her through that"

"Ziva, everyone will understand if you don't come back. I want Esther to have her family around her as much as possible, and if it means you quit work to do that, then so be it. Just don't make any rash decisions, ones that you might regret later"

"I will not. I have three more months to make up my mind. I just love our family so much Tony"

"Me too Sweetcheeks, me too"

It seems that Esther felt the same way too as she began to cry for attention. Ziva picked her out of the cot where she had been having a nap. They all sat together on the couch and Esther looked up at her parents and began to smile. The perfect smile.

**Thanks for reading, and please leave one last review on the way out :)**


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